


Doe & Stag

by ThatWriterRose



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Eventual Romance, F/M, Hogwarts, Magic, Sibling bickering, Slow Burn, Teacher x Teachers Assistant, Well as slow as I can make it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:49:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 31,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27594389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatWriterRose/pseuds/ThatWriterRose
Summary: Severus thought that the Defense Against the Dark Arts job was all he could ever want... until he meets the Teachers Assitant for Defense Against the Dark Arts
Relationships: Severus Snape/Original Female Character(s), Viktor Krum/Original Female Character(s) (background)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 32





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for choosing to read this fanfiction I hope you enjoy it! If you are a visual person like me I have a Pinterest aesthetic board on my Pinterest thatwriterjennih just head there and look for the board titled Doe & Stag. I will try to update tags as I go and will make sure to tag any trigger warnings in the notes but if I miss anything please feel free to tell me. Have a nice day :)

Leota stopped in her tracks eyes wide with awe as she looked up at the school in front of her, Hogwarts. This wasn’t the first time she had seen a large school. She was a Durmstrang student herself but something about the Hogwarts castle was magical. She can only imagine what it was like when her mother went to Hogwarts. The woman had told her the story a million times of how magical it was the first time that she came to Hogwarts getting to ride a boat and look out on the vast castle. 

Leota wouldn’t have quite the same experience because she wasn’t coming as a student. Instead, she was coming as a teacher or more specifically a teacher’s assistant so she went through the front gates like all of the teachers did in the week leading up to when school would start. She’s far more nervous about meeting the teachers than she is about the students though that may change once she gets to know everyone, she at least hopes so. From what she had heard in her mother’s stories a lot of them were friendly and some of them were still teachers so she had hope. 

“Name please?” 

The voice frightens her, pulling the young woman from her thoughts. She jumps at the sound of it before sheepishly smiling at the man. Why was she so on edge it wasn’t like anyone was out to get her, it had to just be the nerves. Merlin, she had been so lost in her thoughts she hadn’t answered the man it was terribly rude. “My apologies, sir. I’m Leota Novak and I'm here to assist the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.” 

Filch looks at the list that he was looking at it once then twice before he lands on a name. “I have a Novak but the name isn’t Leota.” He tells her before giving her a skeptical look. He isn’t going to let just anyone in, not with things in the state they were in. A murderer on the loose and all that he’d be a damn fool to let strangers in. “Well? What is it then is it you what’s your name-”

“Thank you Mister Filch,” McGonagall says as she walks up to the two of them. She sweeps out her ar motioning for the young woman over to her. As soon as the woman Leota makes her way over to the woman with a smile. “That is who you’re looking for cross her off the list now Miss Novak I’ll have you come with me. Just leave your things with Mister Filch and… your cat?”

Leota looks at the carrier she has her cat in, “I should have asked I knew your students could bring cats but I was unsure about teachers. She’s my little sister's cat but she wouldn’t let me be so far from home without some member of the family.” She admits before she looks at the black cat, still asleep from the long journey to Hogwarts. 

“It’s quite alright now leave everything here and I’ll show you in. I’m Professor McGonagall and I teach Transfigurations. I’ll be showing you around the school and help you get as settled in as you can.” McGonagall says, waiting for the young woman to follow her. Once she has the young woman in tow she makes her way with her to the castle. “You know you were easy to spot, you look just like your mother did when she was young.”

Leota grins as the woman speaks about how similar she looks to her mother. She’d been told it once or twice though her father always told her she didn’t look like her mother for one reason or another. “I heard about you Professor McGonagall my mother adored you Transfiguration was one of her favorite subjects.” Many of her interesting stories came from her time in your class.”

McGonagall smiles and nods at the young woman, “Your mother was no trouble of course but all her friends were. I was very happy to not have them in my house. I had to take away plenty of points but your mother would keep them all in line to make sure that I didn’t take too many.” She tells her before she stops to look at the young woman. “I was sorry to hear about her death I wanted to come to the funeral but I never heard anything about it.”

Leota stops with the woman and smiles. She's so kind to say that, “My father decided not to have one, my sisters and I were so young he didn’t want us to have to deal with that.” She had only been 10 years old when her mother died. It had been hard to explain to a 10-year old that your mother is gone and won’t come back trying with her sister that was 4 and the other 2? It was damn near impossible so her father had instead just moved back to Bulgaria where he’d come from trying to not speak about her often.

McGonagall nods, giving the woman a smile before she heads into the castle. “Over there is the Great Hall but we will have our meals there. You will get to meet some of the other professors and introduce yourself.” She tells her before she takes her down the hallways so she can see everything in hopes she won’t get too lost.

Leota is trying to take note of everything though as vast as it is she just knows that she’ll end up lost. “As happy as this makes me, getting to hear about my mother and having you give me a tour I’m curious why the Defense teacher isn’t showing me around. I mean I’m here to work with him. I was hoping to get to meet him and talk to him about what the year will be like.” She didn’t want to be rude, it was never her intention but she was ready to get started. She would teach in a few year's time so she was eager to start learning.

“Yes, while that typically would happen, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is running a bit late. He is not going to be here until the term starts so for now you’ll be able to figure out your way around the school. Perhaps you can stand in with a few other teachers and get a feel for how the school year is going to go.” McGonagall suggests to her. She remembers being that young and eager to teach and to help others. “You are free to come to my classroom at any time that you like.”

“Thank you Professor McGonagall I appreciate it. I will be sure to come to see you in your classroom this week and just in general. It would be nice to see how you teach Transfiguration. It was one of my other classes besides defense against the dark arts of course.” Leota tells her with a smile. She had excelled in defense against the dark arts from day one and knew it was what she wanted to do with her life. Auror wasn’t exactly for her though she had spent some time learning what they do before coming to student teach at Hogwarts.

“I appreciate that but you aren’t a student please call me Minerva.” The two of them make their way through the school and she sees the classrooms and where the students stay. Leota knows she’ll get lost but she has already made a friend so she thinks she’ll be okay. After they’ve done part of the tour they go to the Great Hall. She looks out at all the tables before she has a seat at the one meant for teachers. She chooses her seat next to Minerva figuring it’s her best bet.

The teachers enter and she smiles at the trying not to seem too nervous though she’s sure it reads all over her face. “It’s a pleasure to meet everyone. My name is Dymphna Novak but I go by my middle name Leota. I am very excited to be here at Hogwarts. I want to learn everything I can from the school and the people in it to help me when I begin to teach. While I’m here to help Professor Moody I would love to come into yours as well if you’d let me.” She tells them with a smile before she sits down in her seat and smoothes her robes.

They begin the feast and as she is starting to make things for her plate when someone sits down next to her. Leota looks over, seeing a man sitting next to her with long dark hair and a scowl on his face not seeming all that interested in all of this. Still, she smiles tucking a blonde lock behind her ear before holding out her hand to shake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Professor. I'm Leota.” The man doesn’t shake her hand so she uses it to untuck her hair, “I umm- I’m here to be a teacher's assistant for Defense Against the Dark Arts.”

McGonagall looks over and sees the conversation smiling at them trying to move it along. She knows Severus and he isn’t going to get into the conversation unless he’s really prompted. “This is Severus Snape, he is head of Slytherin house and he teaches potions.”

“Potions? I will admit it was never the subject I was best at when I was in school. Perhaps I’ll have to stand in on one or two of your classes.” Leota tells him with a smile. The man seems a bit reserved but she has known plenty of people like that and she has always gotten them out of their shell. “If you were alright with that of course I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

Severus looks at the young woman for a moment considering it. After he has mentally weighed the options he nods, “Everyone could use brushing up on their lessons even out of school. If you decide to look in on a lesson just say the word, Miss Novak.”

Leota smiles at him, “You would do that? Well, I appreciate it thank you so much, Professor.” She wants to do more than just say thank you but she is unsure of what to do. She thinks for a moment before she smiles, handing over one of the trays so he can take food off of it. “If you’d like I can help you set up your classroom this week. It seems Professor Moody won’t be here and you don’t have anyone to help. We could get everything cleaned up and ready for your classes if you’d like. I’m sure you could do it by yourself but who doesn’t like help once and a while right?” She’s rambling and she knows it but she is nervous and just wants to make the best first impression she can.

Severus is amused as she nervously goes on though he keeps it to himself letting her go on. Once he thinks she has finished he nods, “I could always use help you can come first thing tomorrow and I’ll put you to work.” He assures her before he takes the food he wants off the platter and starts eating effectively ending the conversation. He’d either actually get help for the coming days or scare her off after a few hours and not have to deal with her again.

Leota nods, happy that Professor Snape had agreed to her helping in his classroom, “Yes of course I’ll be there first thing in the morning.” She was going to say more but the man starts eating so the conversation is over. She starts to eat her own food having a conversation with Professor Flitwick between food as he tells her about what he’s doing for the school year. 

By the time they’ve finished the conversation the meal is nearly done and it’s time to head out. Leota says goodbye to Professor Flitwick before she gets up from her seat. Professor McGonagall had shown her where she was staying so she knew where it was; it was just a question if she could get there. She heads out with the others before she starts to wander off from the others to where she’ll be staying.

She wanders the halls for a bit before she finds one that seems familiar to her. She makes her way back to the room where she looks around. It's so unfamiliar but it’ll be home for the next few years. She smiles as she sees her sister's cat curled up on the pillow on her bed, “Brigid it looks like you have already made yourself at home haven’t you?” She walks over and strokes the cat's black fur, smiling at it. “I think I’m starting to get an idea of this place. Maybe you should do the same, would you like to explore tomorrow?”

The cat lets out a quiet meow before she yawns and lays back down in the bed. Leota smiles and kisses its head before she goes to her trunk to find her clothes to sleep in. She changes for bed but doesn’t get in just yet deciding to sit at the desk in the room. Taking out a notebook she dips her quill into ink and starts to write about her day. Her sister had insisted on it, wanting to hear all about her adventures at Hogwarts.

To My Little Rose, 

It was my first official day at the school though I didn’t get in until late. When I got there I was given a tour around the castle and it’s beautiful. Everything is like Mom used to tell me about, I even got to meet her favorite teacher.

Leota pauses as she wonders ifs he really should write about their mother. Roisin never got to know their mother; she'd only been two years old when their mother died and had so few memories. It may upset her to have to hear about such things but then again it may upset her not to hear about them. Her sister deserved to hear about their mother so Leota decides to add it into her journal entry, continuing her writing. 

Her name is Professor McGonagall and she teaches Transfiguration. She says mom always kept her friends out of trouble which reminds me of you. I know you love your friends but they are nothing but trouble. I’m sure you’ll have plenty of stories to tell about them when school starts. For now, though, I get to tell the stories. We had dinner and I introduced myself to all of the other professors except the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. It seems as if he is going to be late to school so I am going to help one of the other professors get his classroom ready for the term while I wait. He teaches Potions and he seems to be a nice man. Hopefully, I can make an honest friend out of him. For now, I have to go to sleep so I can help the Potions professor in the morning wish me luck.

Love, Your Doe

Leota finishes her writing and puts away the quill before she blows out the candle in the room. “Lumos.” She says using her wand to guide her over to the bed. She flicks it to turn off the light as she crawls into bed putting it beside her. Once she has settled under the covers she gives the cat one more kiss before she falls asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Leota was woken by the sound of Brigid eager to get out of the room and start her own exploring. She gets up and opens the door letting her out before she jumps slightly. “Professor- What are you doing here so early?”

Severus looks at the young woman before he turns his head away. “It is not early you actually are late you missed breakfast.” He holds out a watch so that she can see what time it is. He’s sure that after such far travels. “I grabbed something you can eat on the way to my classroom.” He holds a small bag for her waiting for her to get a move on. They've got more than enough to do in the classroom.

Leota looks at the time on his watch, “I didn’t realize- I’m so sorry.” She’d missed breakfast which wasn’t good or so she thought until he held out the bag. She takes the bag before she nods, ready to step forward realizing she’s still in her sleeping clothes. Had she really stood here talking to him in her sleeping clothes? “I need to change but I will be right back thank you very much for this.

Severus nods as the door closes looking down at the cat that is circling between his feet. He shakes one of his legs, shooing the cat away from him. He watches as she scurries off no doubt to chase the rats that would scurry through the castle. It was what most of the cats did at the school before they’d go in with their respective students and teachers for bed. Waiting patiently he hears some commotion inside the room wondering what could be going on. 

Leota looks through her things letting out a frustrated huff trying to find a specific skirt. It really doesn’t matter but for some reason, she’s nearly tearing through her things trying to find what she wants. Giving up on the search she grabs a different skirt and a shirt instead, starting to get dressed for her first day. As she tries to throw it all back into her trunk she trips over some of it falling down on the floor. She takes in a breath before she speaks quietly under her breath, “You’ll be fine Leota just breathe.” 

She picks up her wand and the bag of food Severus had given her. When she is done she smoothes down her hair before she opens the door again, “Sorry for that I tripped over my trunk…” She knew she shouldn’t give any more details about that figuring it was best to not embarrass herself. She opens the bag and pulls out a muffin having a bite of it. “Thank you by the way I have no idea why I slept so late I appreciate you thinking of me while you were at breakfast.” He didn’t have to do that but he did and she was very appreciative of him for it.

Severus walks with her down the halls ready to get everything ready in his classroom. Hopefully, it would now only take a few days since he had the extra help. He was making a mental list of what all needed to be done when he realizes that he’s walking alone. The man stops and turns to look back for her, “I know this isn’t your job to do this work but it’s mine and I won’t spend all day waiting for you.” He says before looking at her realizing she has stopped in front of one of the glass cases that line the hallways.

Leota is stuck looking through the glass at the Quidditch awards. She wasn’t sure how it had caught her eye but it had, her mother's name there plain as day. Kathleen Mae Hughes, Keeper. “My mother was a muggle so she’d never been on a broom before her first year. The head of the Ravenclaws team saw potential in her there and trained her all year and on the school breaks. She was Keeper by her second year and they won every game because of it.” She smiles reaching out to touch the glass, “Then she was on the Hollyhead Harpies until she met my dad and had me.”

Snape walks over and looks over at the case as well seeing where the young woman was looking. These days it was all Gryffindor it was refreshing to hear about someone else when it came to Quidditch. “Did you gain that quality from her? I’m sure Professor Hooch will put you to work if you do.” Having a child of successful alumni there to teach the new students flying? The woman would eat that up and steal her from Moody whenever she had the chance.

The young woman laughs before she shakes her head, “I gained a lot of my mother's looks and some of the personality but not her Quidditch skills. Now my middle sister Nessa, she’ll do something big she is even giving Krum a run for his money if you’d believe it.” The girl had big dreams and Leota hoped that she could help her sister meet them. Leota looks over at Snape putting a hand on his arm and giving him an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry for standing here doing all this rambling we have work to do and all I can do is talk about my mother. We should be headed to the potions classroom to start cleaning up.”

Snape looks down at the young woman wiping away a tear on her cheek before he shrugs it off as no big deal. “If I remember correctly your mother died when you were young, yes? Surely you have to be curious about what her life was before you.” He didn’t think he had to make excuses for her he just wanted her to think it was all to blame. “That’s what I assume anyway- it’s how I would feel in your place.

Leota’s breath catches as he wipes away her tears before she nods eagerly. “She did… car accident of all things.” She starts to feel uncomfortable thinking of all so she pulls away. “So show me where the potions room is. I'd like to see how different it is from the one we had at Durmstrangs.”

Snape nods and retracts his hand as she pulls away from his touch. With a dramatic sweep of his robes, he turns back to the hallway leading her to the Potions room. Once they’re in he opens the curtains of the lone window with a flick of his wand. “I am going to start looking through the vials here to see what I’m low on and make my list. If you’d like to start cleaning the extra cauldrons and equipment out it’s in that cupboard over there.”

Leota looks over at the cabinet before she nods making her way over to the cabinet. “I can do that if you need more for anything else just say so. Until then I’ll be here though.” She tells him before she opens the cabinet. She looks everything over trying to figure out where she should start before she grabs a few things and sets them at one of the tables. She’s careful with each of the cauldrons knowing that she should be careful with them. 

Not every student had parents able to buy these things or replace them constantly when clumsy children ruined them. She was lucky herself that her father had been able to replace her cauldron her first year after she’d burned a huge hole in it. She thought it was fixable until the teacher had taken one look at it and told her to go borrow a spare. As hard as she had tried it ended up having to be disposed of and she’d been teased for it for the rest of the year. 

Snape has his list started soon after he enters his stores, picking up vials and examining what he has in each of them. He uncorks one and has a smell before he puts the stopper back in and writes it down. It’s a tedious task but it is easier to do knowing that he won’t have to worry about the busy work he has given Leota. As he reaches for another he hears something and stops in his tracks, was it humming? He sets down the vial before he makes his way down the ladder and heads to the doorway. Once there he pokes his head out and sure enough as she cleans the cauldron. There’s a bright smile on her face as if she was excited to scrub cauldrons and clean vials, something usually left as punishment for unruly students.

Leota hums along as she does her work figuring it will help the time pass faster. Sure enough, it must have helped because before she knows it she is done with the first batch of things she has brought out. She gets up seeing out of the corner of her eye that the Professor was watching her work. “So Professor Snape are you excited about the Triwizard Tournament coming to Hogwarts?”

Snape is pulled from his near trance when he realizes that she has caught him. He pretends to be busy though she speaks to him and he can’t get out of it. “Who told you that the tournament was coming to Hogwarts, Miss Novak? The teachers were only just informed of the change this morning and you missed breakfast.”

“Yes well the headmasters were told well in advance and my father knows Igor Karkaroff well. He figured my father should know in case my sister wanted to train to be in the tournament which she did of course.” Leota hated the idea of it. Her sister was only 16 years old but was so willing to put herself in this danger. She shouldn’t be trying to fight to the death just to prove herself especially to people like their father and Headmaster Karkaroff. “You didn’t answer my question, you only asked one back, Professor.”

The man considers it the thought of the Triwizard tournament happening at Hogwarts. While it would be something for the students to look forward to they had only just chased a prisoner that had escaped Azkaban from the school. Enough was happening without adding on the Tournament and the two schools that would stay with them. It meant more students and new challenges around every corner. “I think… it will prove to be an interesting year, Miss Novak.”

Leota nods in agreement she had picked quite the year to start assisting at Hogwarts. “Oh- Professor please don’t call me Miss Novak. I would much prefer you called me Leota. If we’re going to spend all this time together getting your classroom ready you will have earned the right to call me by something besides my last name.”

“I believe the phrase is that I have earned the right to call you by your first name isn’t it?” Severus asks with a raised brow as if he’d caught her in some sort of lie. “What is your first name, Miss Novak.”

Again with his questions, did this man do nothing but ask questions? “Oh come on you heard that when I introduced myself or am I really that forgettable?” The young woman gets up and walks over standing in front of him with her hands on her hips. “Do you really not remember?”

Severus lets out a chuckle before he shrugs, “How could I forget a name like Dymphna it is quite the first name. I am guessing that it was difficult for people to pronounce so you gave up on it?” He surprisingly had trouble when he was young at least with some people who found Severus a difficult name though he hadn’t given up on it. 

“Yes since I was little my mother loved the name she called me her little fawn when she was pregnant with me and knew she wanted a name to represent it,” Leota explains before she smiles and goes back to get some more things to clean up. She had no idea why she was telling him everything that she had but it all seemed to pour out as she spoke to the man. “I got tired of everyone saying it wrong so I started going by Leota. My mother didn’t mind it because named me after her best friend in school.”

It’s a lot of information to tell at once but Severus didn’t mind it, she was going to say it all to someone it may as well be him. “Alright well, I will call you Leota if you’ll call me Severus. When the students aren’t around the last thing I’d like to be called is Professor.”

Leota grins, “I think I can do that Prof-.” She stops herself and lets out a laugh realizing how she had already tried to call him Professor again. “I think I can try to do that Severus well when it’s the two of us anyway. I wouldn’t want the students to think anyone can call you Severus when they do get here for the school year.”

“You don’t need to worry about that I can handle the students just fine they won’t try calling me Severus but you can,” Severus assures her before he looks over to the window where the sun is coming through more. He can tell by that alone they were wasting away the morning hours standing there talking. Then again they had the entire week together so it didn’t matter if their first day was not the most productive. Still, the list he had was rather lengthy so he should get back to work at least on his part.

Leota’s eyes follow Severus’ gaze to the window realizing how the sun has changed. She checks the time before she lets out a laugh. “I’m sorry I have talked your ear off and it seems like it’s already lunchtime.” She looks back from the time to Severus and smiles, “You have a lot of work to do. How about I go get us lunch and just bring it back here so we can eat? I will be back as fast as I can.”

Severus is going to tell her that it’s fine but before he can get a word out she’s gone, off to get their food. He let out a sigh before he heads back to his stores to get back to work. He gets a few more vials checked out starting to scrawl notes and figure out what he’ll have to go to Professor Sprout for. That was its own adventure, one he was not always a fan of as Professor Sprout would go on about each plant as if they hadn’t had the same conversation in the year previous. It may be a good task to send Leota on later in the week, they could talk to each other to death and save him the trouble.

Leota comes back and puts food at one of the empty tables before she looks around for the man. He doesn’t seem to hear her come in so she walks over to the room he is back in doing work. She puts a gentle hand on the side of the ladder before she smiles up at him, “I’m sorry but you have to stop working Severus it’s time to eat.”

Severus looks down at her before he nods and tucks his parchment away and sets down the vial. He waits for her to step back before he comes back down leaving the room and heading into the main classroom. He has a seat and picks up the food before he watches her come and sit on the opposite side of the table. 

“Can I ask you why you chose to teach Potions?” Leota asks curiously before she has a bite of her sandwich. She knew everyone had their reasons and she was only curious about his reason to teach Potions. Once she’s finished chewing she decides to start talking again as if he wanted to hear her ramble. “I know I couldn’t do that. I was never the best at Potions. I was going to be an Auror but my Potions OWLs were so bad I could have never done it. It really was for the best. I like the idea of teaching far more.”

There she was going on again but it was charming in a way more would find irritating. He just sat and listened to her as he ate his food just enjoying it. “I actually applied for the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts when I first started teaching. Professor Dumbledore knew how talented I had been at Potions when I was at school here so he offered me that job instead.” He had tried every year since to get the job but they found new teachers each time from a werewolf to Gilderoy Lockheart of all people. It was almost an insult at this point even if Dumbledore insisted he did it so the students had the best Potions teacher they could.

Leota nods, “Well I am jealous I would have killed to be better at potions in school. My potions teacher, well she was a nasty woman who didn’t help ever help. I’m sure she would be surprised to see me even stepping foot in a Potions classroom let alone to help it was always the last place I wanted to be.” She lets out a laugh before she shakes her head, “I’m sorry again I just keep going on and on.”

“Well, you have until we’re done eating to ramble all you please then it’s back to scrubbing cauldrons,” Severus tells her, a hint of a smile on his lips before he goes back to eating. He’ll finish his food and listen to her as she tells him a story about a day she nearly set a classmate's sleeve on fire while trying to make a potion.


	3. Chapter 3

My Little Rose,

I’ve made my first real friend at the school, something I wasn’t sure I’d do when I first got here, especially not with this man. He teaches Potions and his name is Severus Snape. He seems frightening when you first meet him but he really is a kind man at least when we are alone. We have been working together all week and the potions classroom looks ready for students. They will be here in two days which sadly means Professor Moody will be at the school. I never thought I would be sad to see the Professor I am working with but it means that I will not be able to spend any more time with Professor Snape. He has assured me I’m free to visit his classroom whenever I have free time to help him. I think he’s saying it to keep the free labor of having me around.

Severus glances over at Leota as she lets out a little laugh watching her dip her quill back into her ink. “Is there something funny you’re writing about?” He asks, wondering what she could be writing about right now. They were running out of things to do in the classroom so they had decided to take a lunch that was longer than they usually did. She had finished her food and started to write in a journal something very amusing apparently as she laughed along to her words.

Leota looks up at him and smiles before she puts down her quill. “Nothing important I am just writing to my youngest sister. When she realized that I wouldn’t be able to just come home when I pleased she gave me this and told me to write everything down. She doesn’t want to miss a single story about my time here at Hogwarts.” She tells him as her fingers absently trace the empty space in the paper. She has a feeling she will have to get another journal or two if she ends up writing in it every day like she has been.

The man listens to her as she talks about her sister, a regular topic of conversation for the young woman. He nods, “I’m sure she will appreciate that whenever you are able to give her those journal entries.” He wonders if he is in any of those journal entries, surely he had to be with all the time they were spending together. Part of him wants to ask but he doesn’t have the heart to do it instead he just goes back to what he is reading leisurely as he eats his food.

Leota watches Severus for a moment as he gets back to his reading and finishing up his food. He is so engrossed in whatever he’s reading and it’s nice to watch him get into his reading. His nose wrinkles in a certain way and his brows furrow as he focuses on reading which she likes to watch. Finally, she looks back down at the journal deciding to get back to her writing before he catches her staring.

Either way, I will be taking him up on the offer and visit the potions room again so we can spend more time together. You were nervous but I am already doing well and I’m sure once the school year actually starts it will be perfect. Today we have already nearly finished our work so I think I will have to find something else to do. I am going to find Brigid and see if she wants to explore the castle with me, that or I will ask Severus to do the same. I will be sure to tell you if anything interesting happens. Until then though I think I will finish my work I hope that you are doing well and I cannot wait to see you again.

Love, Your Doe

Leota looks over what she has written and when she decides that it is enough she tucks away her things in her bag. Once she has it closed she gets up, “I am going to take the things that Professor Sprout has brought us to your store closet.” She had an idea of where he put everything; his system was fairly straightforward so she can get everything put away. They had spent the morning putting everything in jars and labeling them so it was all ready to go. 

Snape nods dismissively not even looking up from his book as she gets everything ready to put in his storeroom. He knew that she could put everything back in its right place though if she didn’t he could fix everything up. He knows that she has started to work when he hears her starting to hum as she always seemed to do when she was working alone. He was getting used to it though it was almost calming as he read his book deciding to take his time. He’ll enjoy his quiet time with her humming as music in the background music to it.

The young woman pauses what she’s doing as she looks between two of the vials trying to remember where exactly they go. She stops humming and looks back at the open doorway wondering if she should ask Severus where it goes. Still, he seems so calm taking his time to relax so she decides that she’ll figure it herself. She goes up higher on the ladder looking through a few of the other vials as she tries to figure out where to put it.

Snape stops what he’s doing when the humming stops looking over at the door wondering if something is wrong. He is ready to go ask when he hears it start again and decides against it. He looks over at her bag instead and thinks again if he is in those diary entries considering just looking at it, a quick peek wouldn’t hurt. “Do you need any help?” He asks, figuring he’ll decide whether or not to do any snooping based on how deep into the task she is the last thing he needs is for her to see him.

Leota looks back towards Severus before she shakes her head. “I have things figured out here you finish up your lunch. You don’t have to worry about me. I'm already halfway done.” She wasn’t halfway done, maybe closer to a fourth of the way done but if she picked up the pace he wouldn’t notice. He had other work to do so he wouldn’t notice or at least she hoped not even though he wouldn’t care all that much. As long as the work got done it didn’t matter and she would get that work done, she always did.

“Very well, tell me if you change your mind,” Severus says before he opens her bag and takes out the journal. He lays it on the counter in front of himself and starts to go through the pages. Inside he sees a week's worth of entries detailing her travels to Hogwarts and the time that she’d spent there. Most of it wasn’t interesting, at least not to him. She was talking about their mother or how she was getting along at the school though he did see his name mentioned a few times. It was all small stories of breaking a glass vial or staying late in the classroom. Then again he wasn’t sure what he thought he would find when he went snooping through her things? The man sighs, putting the book back where he’d found it and closing her bag again.

Leota gets down from the ladder and walks out of the store's closet smiling as she looks at Severus who is closing up his book. “Are you done with your lunch? It’s perfect timing because I need help in the closet, would you mind coming with me? I hate getting up at the top of that ladder by myself with my arms full of vials. I know I’ll drop something.” She stops herself and lets out a laugh, “I’m sorry you have other work to do I’ll just get my wand from my bag and I should just do this with my wand.”

She walks over and opens up her bag when she does her journal falls right out onto the ground which shocks her. She thought she had tucked it into one of the pockets to secure it but she was wrong. “How clumsy of me.” She says before kneeling down and picking up the journal and the few other things that had fallen down.

Severus gets down from his seat kneeling down and picking away stray items. “You must be more careful with these things you don’t know who could go and find your things. You wouldn’t want anyone to start snooping. I'm sure the students will love that. They find many ways to get in trouble including going through your personal belongings.” It was hypocritical of him to say that as he had just been the one snooping though it was still a good tip. He could already see the troublesome Weasleys twins stealing her journal finding out her secrets. It was the last thing she needed; she was already going to have a hard enough time without having them harass her.

Leota looks over at Severus and smiles, taking the supplies he had picked up and put them back in her bag. “I will keep that in mind and not bring it with me when I’m teaching classes. I don’t mind bringing it here though I trust you.” She takes her wand out before she sets her bag back down on the table.

“What makes you so sure that you can trust me? You’ve only known me all of a week. I could be a horrible person for all you know.” Severus tells her which is more true than anything she is; she has no idea who he really is. He isn’t the kind man she seems to be portraying him as in her journal entries, he’s far from it. Then again does he want to admit that to her because it means he will lose the company he is just starting to get used to. That would be gone when the defense against the dark arts professor showed up though, if only it was his job. Instead, he’ll be there in the potions room while she thought up new reasons to not see him again.

Leota looks over at Severus and shakes her head, “I know that you aren’t a horrible person. People just have a way about them and I can tell that you are a good man.” She wonders why he would say such a thing, did he think that he was a bad person? She hoped he didn’t think such things of himself because he was such a good man. He had shown her only kindness in the time they’d spent together and she had a feeling that wouldn’t change even when they stopped spending so much time together.

Severus lets out a sigh before he nods and walks over to his desk. “I’m going to get back to my work if you want to finish up what you are doing then head out you are free to do so.” He has a seat behind his desk and takes out his quill to take some of his own notes about lessons he would start teaching. Most of them would be the same but it was always nice to refresh things in preparation.

The conversation is done and Leota knows to just give up at least for the time being. She takes her wand heading back to get everything done. She decides that she won’t press any further even though she had been so tempted to ask him to join her for a walk. “Thank you Severus I appreciate you offering that to me. I’m going to finish the rest of my work in the storeroom.”

“Very well,” Severus tells her dismissively, continuing his work as he waits for her to walk away. Hearing the familiar footsteps leave he lifts his head finally. He sees her turn the corner and hears the door shut behind her. He lets out a sigh dipping his quill back into the ink a few times before he goes back to his notes. Usually, he is fast with his motions knowing exactly what he wants to say and how to put it on paper. That day though he has slowed down really having to think about what he was writing rather than think back to the journal entries he had read.

Leota picks up a bottle and examines it wondering what she should do now that she wasn’t going to convince Severus to walk with her. It was sad that she didn’t really have any friends to speak of but she was at a strange age all of the professors were much older than her and the students much younger. She would find ways to occupy herself though, she always did. She takes her time to finish up so she has less time to fill up with time alone.

Severus pauses stopping to look at the time realizing that he had been at it for a while. In that time Leota hadn’t left or even come out of the storeroom. He wonders if he should ask if she wants help or at least checks that she’s alright. Before he can decide one way or another Leota walks back out. His stance straightens though he does not look the serious look on her face, many think that is permanently attached to him. “Is everything done?” He asks in a monotone voice.

Leota smiles at the man as he speaks appreciating that he is asking her for progress. She’s not sure why she cares so much but she does. “I am done so I think I’m going to head out like you suggested.” She thinks for just a moment that she’ll ask him to join her but instead, she goes to pick her bag up. “I’m going to head to the library to explore a bit… see if I can find something to read tonight. Promise me you won’t spend the whole day alone here.” The man didn’t really have any friends that she had seen so she knows how easy it would be for him to just spend all his time alone.

Severus raises a brow at her request; it is a strange one. He didn’t have many people that cared enough to suggest those things for him. Occasionally if he ended up too deep in his own head someone would notice and try to help. Now this girl who had only been in his life a week cared and it was a strange thought. “I cannot make any promises I do have plenty of work left to do.”

“Well if I don’t see you at dinner tonight then I will come back here and drag you out of here myself,” Leota admits with a giggle amused by her own suggestion. She waves goodbye to the man before leaving him with the thought of her trying to drag him out.

The man looks over and shakes his head as the woman walks away much too amused with herself. The thought that she would ever be able to drag him out of the room he was stubborn and she was a small thing. He decides as much as he wants to see if she will come to drag him out that he’ll instead surprise them both by getting out in time for dinner.

Leota makes her way to the library setting her bag down again at one of the empty tables. She looks through rows of books wondering what she should read about. She wants a few things to put in her room so she can stay in to read for the night. After surveying the books she picks a few taking them with her out of the library. She has time now and decides to find somewhere to go read. She leaves and walks down one of the halls making sure to go down hallways that she knows not wanting to get lost. 

Her efforts are all for nothing though she assumes she must have made a wrong turn somewhere because she has no idea where she had ended up. Rather than panic about it she heads to a courtyard having a seat at one of the benches. She leans back against the wall picking up a book and starting to read. It wasn’t what she had planned but it was nice being able to feel a cool breeze as she goes through the pages. She stays glued to the story barely noticing the passing of time until her stomach starts to grumble. 

Looking up she sees how the time has changed and gets up. Here she was insisting that Severus not miss dinner when she was going to do the same. She decides that she doesn’t have time to go put her books in her room instead, taking them with her as she tries to retrace her steps through the halls.

Going through each of the halls she finally finds familiar sights able to make her way to the Great Hall. She is the last one there but everyone is only just sitting down so she hasn’t missed anything. She sets her books on an empty table before going to take her seat.

“Here I was thinking I would have to come to find you to drag to the Great Hall,” Severus says quietly as she sits down next to him. No one else can hear them talking. They are all too engrossed in their own conversation about lesson plans and students coming to the school. Still, he keeps his tone hushed as if it’s their own little secret.

Leota rolls her eyes before she starts to put food on her plate, “I’m sorry to disappoint you but that won’t be happening. Not this time anyway.”


	4. Chapter 4

Leota had hoped that Professor Moody would show up before the students but it wasn’t looking that way at all. She had cleaned up the classroom all day but hadn’t known what else to do. Now the students were starting to arrive so she was hiding in her bedroom trying to figure out what to do. “What if he just doesn’t show up who teaches the students? Will they even have me here if they have to replace him? Even more important would they let her stay there if they had no one to teach the class?

She would have no time to look for a new school to teach at so she’d have to wait at least until the holiday which would ruin the timeline she had carefully laid out. It was silly to fuss over this but she had the day alone to just stew in her fear so she couldn’t help it. All that time alone had given her plenty of time to stew in her fear along with contemplating everything that could ever go wrong. 

After taking in a calming breath Leota decides that she won’t let herself do this she refuses to let herself fuss over it. What happens that day will be what happens as much as she loves to plan her life down to the last detail; she just can’t do that every day. Instead, she will get ready for dinner and get to see all of the students at the school. “Everything is going to be fine won’t it, Bridge?” She asks before looking back at the cat as if she is going to have any answers.

She dresses before heading out deciding to head the long way to the Great Hall. As she passes she looks out at the window at the lake grinning as she sees a boat emerging knowing exactly what it was. She sees the students start to gather in another hall to watch. She decides to make her way over to the dining hall while they watch. Heading to the table at the head of the room she goes to her seat and smiles. 

“It’s exciting, isn’t it? Of all the years you could have been here this was your first?” Dumbledore asks as he walks over to the Headmaster's seat. He hadn’t spent much time around their newest teaching assistant but he had been curious. The school rarely took them as the process was long for school and students alike only for them to no doubt leave. With the reputation, the school was gaining by running through their Defense professors. She would no doubt run from the position if it were open when she was done. “I am sure that you are eager to see your school represented in this way.”

Leota looks over at the man and smiles, “I know of all the years that I could have joined.” She had taken time off after she had finished school wanting to meet and work with Aurors to really learn the ins and outs of the Dark Arts. The time she had chosen to come to Hogwarts being when the tournament happened was great, exactly what she needed. “While I am happy to see my sister, that does not change my loyalties. While I did attend Durmstrang my loyalty is to Hogwarts now.”

Dumbledore nods, “Trust me, Miss Novak, after speaking to Professor Karkaroff I heard all about your loyalty and more importantly your ambition. I believe that you will be a great asset to his school as well as the Defense Against the Dark Arts program.” He could tell that Igor was eager to talk up one of his prize students. He told plenty of stories about how good of a student she had been and how smart she was when it came to not just Defense but all of the subjects. He loved hearing a man who seemed to not care about much so avidly speak of a student.

“You asked him about me?” Leota asks with a smile. It made sense of course they would want to make sure she was right for the position. Still, it brings a blush to her cheeks and a happy smile forms on her face. “I am happy that he told his best stories- not that I did anything worthy of a bad story of course!”

What would have been a long rambling explanation was cut short when the seat next to Leota was filled. Severus had his seat tapping a careful finger on the wood which seemed to silence the young woman. Having spent a week with her he knew how she could but also luckily for all of them he knew how to quiet it at least somewhat. “Were you a favorite student of his then?” He asks though he seems like he doesn’t care about the answer one way or the other.

Cutting off her ramblings Leota instead looks over at Severus as he speaks. He acts like he doesn’t care but she looks at the glint in his eyes seeing how curious he is which makes her smile again. “I was a star student in most of my subjects. I would say I was his favorite student if it weren’t for Viktor Krum of course though I can understand him being Professor Karkaroff’s favorite.” Her little sister Nessa was trying to take that spot though in the classroom and on the Quidditch pitch.

Dumbledore nods before he looks out seeing the students start to make their way into the Great Hall. “Well, now you will get to experience what it is like when the year starts at Hogwarts. I hope that you’ll enjoy it.” He tells her waiting for the students to make their way in before he gets up from his seat to greet the students.

Leota looks out at all of them with wide eyes in awe of just how many of them there were. She moves her hand accidentally brushing her finger against Severus’ hand. A blush heats up on her cheeks as she looks over at Severus putting her hands back in her lap. “Sorry, it just amazes me how many of them there are. I know I’m not their teacher but I could be… one day.”

Severus looks at Leota when her hand touches his own he would laugh if all eyes weren’t on them. Then again eyes really weren’t on them instead on Leota next to him. They always stared down a new professor or assistant but now more than ever as she was young and beautiful. “It will be one day soon… sooner than you think anyways.” He remembers that he felt like he was helping a classroom one day and before he realized it he was standing in front of his own classroom. He didn’t want to scare her but it was the truth that she would face in a few year's time as they all did. 

“For now I will just be assisting Professor Moody… if he shows up.” Leota tells him though she is still unsure of it. The students hush down as the newest students are brought to the front. It's exciting even watching as they sing a song about the houses it’s so interesting to see all of this. She imagines what it would be like to do this every year, watching as the new students come in with hopeful looks on their faces excited to start learning what it means to be a witch or wizard. She remembers being in their shoes being on top of the world ready to learn anything she could and thinking about it only made her more excited to teach.

“Oi-” Ron says before he nudges Harry in the ribs. Harry is so distracted by the sorting ceremony that he hadn’t even been paying attention. Usually, Harry was the one to make the observations between them but not now because when it came to pretty girls Ron was the first to notice. “Who do you reckon she is?” He asks before pointing over to the blonde sitting at the table.

Harry looks from the sorting hat to the newest member of the table who is sitting watching with a smile. “Don’ know.” He admits as he watches her for a moment as he tries to decide who she could be. “Maybe the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?” He knew they needed a new one, something that he hated because he wished Lupin could stay. If it was her though maybe it wouldn’t be that bad she didn’t look threatening. Then again no one had thought Quirrell was dangerous until it was too late.

Hermione scoffs which brings both sets of eyes to her. “You’re joking, right? She’s too young. They wouldn’t give us a teacher who knows nothing.” Maybe it was unfair to assume those things but no one who was that young knew anything about Defense Against the Dark Arts.”

The conversation is silenced when Dumbledore comes back up to the front sweeping a hand out to the crowd to silence them. “Well, now that we’re all settled in and sorted I’d like to make an announcement. This castle will not only be your home this year but home to some very special guests as well.” 

Leota grins, eager to see the schools both come up. She didn’t know much about Beauxbatons other than their mother had wanted them to go there. It would be interesting to see them but even better to see her former school because she knew that her sister would be among them. She wasn’t homesick yet but she knew that by the time Christmas break came around she would have been. Her sister was going to be there with her though so it would be a bit more bearable even if she was there as a sort of teacher to her.

“Let me be clear if you are chosen you stand alone.”

Leota looks back to Dumbledore wondering what it would be like if her sister was chosen. Nessa had been talking about it nonstop since Karkaroff had told their father practicing and training, wanting to be the one. Dumbledore says the contest isn’t for the faint of heart and it only makes her even more nervous, tugging at a loose thread on her robes as she listens.

The Beauxbatons school coming in turns out to be a lovely distraction from Leota’s thoughts. They come into the hall in a flourish of blue fabric and feminine energy. They exude something that just pulls Leota in. She wonders what it would’ve been like at the school. They use a spell of some sort and butterflies float around them only further showing how feminine and sweet they were. After the students make their way through carefully choreographed movements their headmistress comes behind them. She is a very tall woman who seems to have an effortless look to her as if she was just meant to be so tall and beautiful. The students break into applause which Dumbledore gives them time for before lifting his hands to silence them again.

“And now we welcome our friends from the North. Please greet the proud sons and daughters of Durmstrang and their headmaster Igor Karkaroff.” Dumbledore tells them and all eyes go back to the door as it opens again.

Leota straightens as they come through the doors. She looks over, seeing Severus looking at her having to stifle a laugh, “Not a word from you.” She says quietly before watching them come in. Her sister stands out being the only girl among the group, blonde hair tied back and a stern look on her face as she walks in making sure to be in front of Viktor though all eyes are still on him of course. Nessa kneels down when she gets to the front blowing fire into the shape of the phoenix out with another boy helping to finish up the performance. 

Everyone is settled back in and Igor has a seat near them. Leota smiles and reaches a hand out to shake his own. “I am happy to see you again, sir. The performance was lovely, you all made quite the entrance.” She would like to think that her sister stood out but that was probably just her being a proud sister. Everything that Nessa did just amazed Leota the girl was so powerful and could do anything she set her mind to.

Igor smiles and takes her hand into his own giving it a good shake. “Thank you very much, Professor Novak.” He tells her, putting emphasis on that word. He knew she wasn’t there yet but she was going to excel at Hogwarts and do good by Durmstrang so it wouldn’t be long before she was using that title.

They are interrupted when Dumbledore goes to talk about the rules. Before they can get far though the sky about of the Great Hall erupts into chaos. Flashes of lightning and booms of thunder send chaos throughout them as screams of students are heard. As soon as it stops though a bright light is shot through the sky coming from a nearby wand.

Leota looks over to see none other than Mad-Eye Moody standing there, made obvious by the scowl on his face and the fake eye attached to an eye patch. He walks with a cane looking around at all the students as they all whisper no doubt about him. Leota watches curiously trying to figure out how she will go about introducing herself to the man. He greets Dumbledore before standing over by the table not taking a seat yet.

“After due consideration, the Ministry of Magic has concluded that for their own safety no student under the age of 17 should be allowed to put for their name-” The speech is not met well as students start to boo and yell about how horrible of a choice it is.

Leota looks to Nessa who is clearly ready to have a fit, her face twisted into an angry look and nearly red. She had barely missed the mark and Leota just knew that it would mean that it wouldn’t be good to be around Nessa. Then again as Leota looks over to Professor Moody who drinks from a flask she is sure that nothing about this year will be easy.


	5. Chapter 5

My Little Rose,

I know how much you wished that you could be here at Hogwarts with Nessa and I but trust me when I tell you that you’re lucky to be back at Durmstrang. You may not think being at Durmstrang as exciting but I would prefer something boring to this. Nothing is going right and I think that Nessa would punish us both for that but you are not here so I get all the punishment instead. Usually, I would be optimistic but I doubt things will get any better from here. Wish me luck, Little Rose.

Love, Your Doe

“Nessa please calm down- you’re being ridiculous,” Leota says watching her sister pace the empty hall with a fiery look in their eyes. That look was all their father, she could see every bit of anger in her from a red face to angry eyes that usually made the woman flinch. Now seeing it in her sister she felt the same way wondering just how much of the punishment she would take. Had this been anyone else Leota wouldn’t let it happen but it was her sister so while she was trying to be stern Leota was still letting this happen.

“Why should I calm down? They’ve stolen this from me; it was mine. I was supposed to be the champion but they have this rule. Why do they care I’m not some stupid first year who barely knows how to flick a wand I can do everything he can do!” Nessa shouts barely noticing how the lights around them start to flicker. She could usually control her anger but when it came to competition, it was unmatched. “I mean what was the point of me doing all that training if they were going to spit in my face by making this rule?”

Leota takes in a calming breath. though her hand is tightly wrapped around her wand as if she’ll be able to do anything if her sister has an outburst. Sometimes Leota could handle Nessa’s outbursts but she had a feeling that this one would be harder. All Nessa had done over the summer was train to make herself the best she could be for this competition. Where she usually focused all her energy on Quidditch she had studied and trained in any way their father could think up. “I know this is hard but they only want to keep you safe. I mean father wouldn’t want you to get hurt neither would Rosie and I-”

“I don’t care what any of you want! Besides, do you really think our father will be anything but furious? All that training wasted and Viktor bloody Krum will get to do it like he does everything. Why do I never get anything? I do nothing but try and practice just for that... ugh!” Nessa says before she lets out a frustrated scream. Everything she did and why would it matter in the end. “Father is going to be furious. I can just see him now. He'll hate me as much as he hates you. I’m supposed to be his favorite. I'm the better one but I can’t do that if they just hand everything to Viktor Krum!”

While it stung to hear her sister tell her all these things it was true Leota was far from her father’s favorite. The man had put all his love into his two younger daughters as his wife hadn’t had much time to corrupt them with her beliefs. “Nessie you don’t have to lash out. I get that you’re upset but taking it out on me isn’t going to help anything. Let's just calm down. Come on I’ll go to the kitchens and make some tea and we’ll talk through this.” She suggests reaching a hand over to her sister's shoulder hoping to calm her down enough that they can talk it out. She knows that with a bit of perspective Nessa will realize just how silly she is for pitching this fit.

When the hand is placed on her something sets off in Nessa that even she hadn’t even expected. Nessa pushes her sister's hand away before slapping her across the face. She takes a step back once she realizes what she has done. “I don’t want to sit down and have tea with you. I’m sick of you and I want nothing to do with you Leota you’re such a-”

“That will be enough,” Severus says with a stern voice. He looks to the younger of the two siblings exchanging his usual expressionless look for one with a bit more anger. “While this may be your sister at home you are not home. You are a guest at this school and you will treat the teachers here with respect or I will make sure your headmaster knows just how difficult you are. Have I made myself clear, Miss Novak?”

Nessa looks from the man back to Leota before she lets out a frustrated huff. Rather than answer Snape she stomps off in the other direction of them. She’ll no doubt go cause terror for someone else but at least for the time being it wasn’t going to be Leota.

Leota has tears in her eyes as she watches her sister go, carefully cradling her stinging cheek from where she’d been hit. She takes in a shaky breath before she tucks her wand back into her pocket then swipes away some tears. “Tell me that you didn’t see much of that?” She asks before looking over to Severus who does not say anything. “Lovely! As if that wasn’t humiliating enough.”

Severus sighs looking back at Leota reaching into his pocket and handing her a handkerchief. He isn’t sure what he can say to her he had seen all of it staying back hoping that she could resolve it on her own. He hadn’t wanted to interfere; it was her life she was capable of fixing things or so he had thought. Part of him wishes that he had come in sooner so she wouldn’t have to wipe tears onto his handkerchief. “I only saw the last bit of it… enough to stop it.”

“Now you’re just trying to be nice to me, Severus,” Leota admits with a laugh which only causes more tears to fall. She looks from him in the direction that her sister had stormed off him nervous she’d break down sobbing if she looked at him again. “It isn’t her fault you know. I mean sure part of it is but our father just wants her to think that things like showing your emotions is something only weak people do. She was so young when your mother died so it's all she has ever known.”

It amazes Severus to see the lengths that Leota will go to so she could justify what her sister had just done. The things that her younger sister said trying were not justifiable by any means but it wasn’t his business. All he could do now is hope that he could help her in some way. “I know that she’s your sister but here you are her teacher. Would you have spoken that way to your teacher- would you have hit your teacher when you were upset?”

Leota doesn’t want to have this conversation not now, not ever. “I know I messed up but the lesson on how exactly I screwed up isn’t really necessary. In fact, it is the last thing I need right now. This was already horrible enough without you telling me how I should’ve done it right.” She tells him before she shoves the handkerchief back at him before she turns to leave.

Severus reaches a hand out grabbing Leota by the arm to stop her. “That isn’t what I meant by that and you know it.” She starts to pull her hand away but he keeps his grip firm locking eyes with her so she knows that he is being serious. “All I am trying to do is help you. If you want to be a teacher you are going to have to do these things. I want to help you get to that point no one helped me. I want to give you that help Leota, it's all I’m doing by guiding you.”

Leota looks at Severus for a long moment before she pulls her hand away. “I appreciate that you want to help me but I will figure these things out on my own just like everyone else does.” She fixes her sleeves reaching up to wipe away some tears with one of them. “I said I’ll be fine.”

Severus lets out a sigh before taking the handkerchief and carefully wiping her tears. She leans into the touch and he swears he can feel his heart skip a beat as she does. “Your emotions are heightened right now with everything that just happened. Give it the night before you decide to turn away from my help.”

Leota reaches a hand up to put on top of his, nodding at him. When he pulls his hand away he leaves her with the handkerchief turning to leave. She stands there with it in her hand watching as he leaves her there. She carefully folds the piece of cloth before tucking it away into her pocket before she heads out of the room. She wants to go back to her room and cry but she wants to introduce herself to Professor Moody. She hadn’t gotten to speak to him at dinner he had gotten himself a few things and then just left.

The young woman decides to take the long way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom wanting to have time to pull herself together. Having that time does her good because she relaxes enough to not cry when she gets there. Wiping away those last few tears, she goes into the classroom and looks around. She had straightened things up but they had been moved around again no doubt to get things the way that he liked.

Leota is surprised when a wand is suddenly pointed at her. She quickly lifts her hands to show that she means no harm. “I’m sorry if I frightened you, Professor. I just wanted to introduce myself. I should have waited until tomorrow. I was just eager to get to work.”

Moody keeps his wand pointed at the young woman as she stammers through her explanation of who she is. “Well then who are you? In all of that, you didn’t manage to get out who you were.” He has things to do he needs to get another potion brewed and figure out what the hell he’ll do in class he doesn’t have time for any of this.

“Right! Sorry, that was terribly rude of me. I'm Leota Novak. I'm your teaching assistant for the year.” Leota says before she lowers her hand enough so that he can shake it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Professor Moody.” 

Moody looks at the young woman’s hand for a moment before he looks back at her face with an uncertain look .”Do all of the teachers get someone to help them or something?” He didn’t want this, in fact, he couldn’t have this. The last thing he needed was some child snooping in his business. He hopes that he can opt-out of it, he has to or risk his plan being ruined.

That confuses Leota but she doesn’t show it on her face as she tries to figure out how he had no idea. “Just you… did Professor Dumbledore not tell you sooner? I am here to learn how to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. I apologize, sir. I thought he told you about me so you had time to prepare.” She explains as she nervously wrings her hands wondering just how bad this is.

Moody lets out a chuckle before shaking his head, “Yeah of course he told me about having an assistant in the classroom. Sorry about that you get hit in the head as many times as I have and you forget things like that.” He says before he takes her hand into his own and shakes it making quick work of it before he lets go and looks around. “I see you have already moved things around. I am going to adjust a few things of course but it’s… a good setup.” 

“I’m happy to hear that you like it,” Leota tells him before she looks around at everything. He hadn’t made too many changes, only a few but they felt cluttered to her. Then again this wasn’t her classroom, not yet anyway. “I will leave you to reorganize and see you tomorrow when classes start.”

The man nods, ready to see her off so that he can get back to what he was doing. As she starts to leave though he realizes that he can use her. “How about you start us off with a lesson for the first and second years. They aren’t on the schedule until the second day so you’ll have plenty of time to figure something out.” He tells her before he walks over inspecting the stack of textbooks before he grabs two of them. Making his way back over to her he drops them in her waiting hands. “I’ll have something planned as a backup of course but maybe if it’s good we’ll do your lesson instead.”

Leota smiles and looks down at the books before looking back at him, “Yes of course I am happy to get that started thank you very much.” She tells him eager to get back to her room and start figuring something out. While he may not even use her ideas just the thought of getting to start this now was exciting to her. 

“Yes of course not a problem. I'll see you for classes first thing tomorrow.” Moody tells her before he goes back to the desk at the front of the classroom. It had been a while so he needed to pick up the textbook himself. Not that he wasn’t aware of the dark arts he just wasn’t sure what he would even begin to teach to students.

“I’ll see you first thing tomorrow.” Leota agrees before turning to leave the classroom with an extra spring in her step. Even if she had been in a bad mood this was going to put her into a better one. She heads down the halls looking at the first year's book as she does wondering what would be best to teach the first years. They needed a good lesson that didn’t overwhelm but still taught them good starting lessons.

“You know you shouldn’t be teaching if you don’t even know how to do basic Defense,” Nessa says, voice dripping with sarcasm as she glares at her older sister.

Leota looks at Nessa and the boy she had no doubt just been snogging, one of the Hogwarts boys. They both had disheveled clothes and hair. It was no doubt that Nessa was doing this as just another way to punish her older sister. “Unless you two would like to have detention with Professor Moody you will leave now. In separate directions- go!”

Nessa watches as the boy she was snogging quickly leaves just so eager to ditch her. She lets out an annoyed huff before glaring at her sister, “I hate you, Leota.”

“You can hate me all you like but in the classroom, I will be your teacher and you will not act like this. Do it and I will make good on my promise to put you in detention and keep you there. Do I make myself clear, Ness?”

The girl rolls her eyes, “Crystal clear can I go now?” She asks before walking in the opposite direction that the Hufflepuff boy she’d been snogging had gone. The last thing she needed was to deal with this pitiful boy who ran at the first sign of attention.

Leota takes in a breath watching as her sister walks away before she goes back to her bedroom. Her little sister may be nasty but Leota has a full night of lesson planning ahead of her which makes up for all the nasty things that had happened that day.


	6. Chapter 6

Leota sat in the corner at the front of the classroom just observing and taking notes on what was happening. She was excited to see that her lesson is being taught and it’s down to the wording as well. The students were clearly excited or at least most of them were. It was their second year though so some of them had moved on from being excited about going to school to wanting to be somewhere else. 

She understood though they had things like flying classes or other things that excited them more than learning about ghouls. Still, she could care less because it was her lesson and she was watching them learn it. She imagines what it will be like when she is the one teaching. She is snapped from it she hears the loud bang of the professor slamming his hand onto the desk.

“Now is someone going to answer the question or are we all just going to sit here and stare at each other for the rest of the class?” Moody asks clearly not pleased that the students aren’t answering. He hadn’t been asking many questions so having the questions he was asking ignored was irritating to him. “How about this, someone answers my question or I start picking people to use as rats for when we start learning hexes and charms.”

Leota’s eyes widen, should he be threatening students? She knew teachers were hard on students but that seemed like too much. Still, it was effective because a line of hands shot up eager to answer the question. That wouldn’t be her though she was going to do things differently. She started to think about it wondering what she’d do and she got so lost in her thoughts that she barely realized her own name was being called.

She looks up from her notes to Professor Moody who is staring at her waiting. “I apologize, Professor, what was the question that you asked me? I was… so busy taking my own notes that I didn’t hear it.” She lies. Hopefully, they hadn’t all been staring long enough that they would be able to catch her in that lie.

“I was telling the students that you spent some time working with the Ministry before you came to learn how to teach,” Moody explains to her something he had learned during her insufferably long introduction of herself that morning before classes had started. “I thought you may have an experience with a ghoul you’d like to share.” 

All eyes were on Leota and she nervously smiled as she looked at all the students. “I spent my time working with an Auror so I’m afraid I didn’t spend any time with the part of the Ministry that deals with ghouls. I did have a good friend in school who had one in her attic though I got to see it a few times when I went to visit.”

One of the girls eagerly shoots her hand up in the air at that statement waiting to be picked. Mad-Eye points to her so she knows that she can speak. Once the girl has permission she smiles, “Was it frightening? The ghoul I mean the pictures make it seem like it and I don’t think the ministry would deal with it unless they were bad.”

“No not at all they are harmless creatures they only look frightening. I think it really depends on the family how they handled them sometimes the Ministry helped other times they don’t bother.” Leota starts to explain seeing Professor Moody heading up the stairs to the office leaving her alone with the students. She looks back at the girl and smiles. “My friends' family loved the ghoul that lived in their attic. The most trouble he got into was tossing around the Christmas decorations. They even put him on their Christmas card one year.”

Some of the students laughed at the prospect of it. Leota smiles before she speaks again, “No really her mother’s wreath fell on the ghoul so they took a picture. They helped him afterward of course but it was the funniest Christmas card I’ve seen.” She sets down her notes before she gets up. “Does anyone else have any stories about ghouls? They show up in the most peculiar of places have anyone of you seen one?”

Many hands lift eagerly and Leota grins pointing to a student, “Alright we’ll start with you then what experience did you have with a ghoul.” She asks letting a few students tell stories and others ask questions getting them all into a lively conversation. It ends up being just them for the rest of the class time as Professor Moody was doing something up in his office.

At the very end though the man opened the door to his classroom. “I’m sorry to tell you students but it’s time for you to head off to your next class. Come back to class next time with at least a page on ghouls have a nice day.” A few of them let out groans but still, they all collect their things and leave the classroom. “No running in the halls!” The man adds before making his way down the staircase slowly watching as the students all leave.

Leota waves to the students as they leave the classroom. One of the boys wants to stay behind and talk to her but as he makes his way over to her the young man sees Mad-Eye staring. “Thank you for teaching such a nice class.” The young boy says quietly before he turns and quickly heads out to his friends that are waiting in the hallway for him.

She looks back at Professor Moody and smiles, “We had a nice class that was… exciting. Thank you for trusting me enough to let me teach the students.” She didn’t know how much teaching she’d done mostly it was getting them to talk and throwing in the important information where she could but regardless she loved it. “I hope that I did well enough for you to trust me to do it again one day.”

“Yeah of course ya did great you’ll do this again don’t worry,” Moody assures her holding back the urge to roll his eyes. It had been helpful though he had to get work on polyjuice potion so he’d have it on backstock for the rest of the year. “For now though I have a task for you. Do you know anything about lacewing fly?”

Leota nods, “Yes I actually spent my first week here working with Professor Snape I organized his closet with all his potion supplies. I mean I’d already cleaned up this classroom and all so I thought I would be helpful elsewhere.” She explains as if the reason why really mattered to this man, something she was highly doubtful of.

“Perfect yes perfect. Can you just head over there and grab some of that lacewing fly for more. I need it for a project I’m working on.” Moody tells her with a nod realizing this young woman may work in his favor. He had thought she would be nothing but a menace but perhaps he could use her for tasks like these. He couldn’t help the Dark Lord to the fullest of his ability if he was stuck on such menial tasks.

Leota nods eagerly at the man, “Yes of course I’ll go ask Professor Snape for some it shouldn’t be a problem at all.” She tells him before she turns to leave. It will be a quick trip and maybe she can even stop in for a moment to see how his classes are doing. Potions may not be her favorite subject but she quite enjoyed Severus so she would love to see him teach.

Moody reaches out to stop the young woman who looks back at him. “Don’t worry about asking him, the man has enough on his plate. We have an understanding anyway.” He tells her casually before letting go and motioning for her to run off. He’d see how this went if she’d fall for it. If she did then he could use her if not then he’d have to figure something else out.

It’s a strange request but Leota would of course comply with it. It would probably be for the best anyway as she wouldn’t want to disturb Severus while he was teaching. She leaves the classroom heading down the halls before she heads to his storage room. 

Once she’s in the storage room she leaves the door open a crack then looks around the room. She gets up on the ladder and looks at vials for a moment before she finds the one she needs putting it in her pocket. It feels wrong but if they had an understanding then it wasn’t really a problem, right?

Getting down off the ladder she opens the door back up only to find Severus standing there. The young woman smiles, “Hello there Severus how are you doing on this lovely day?”

When he’d seen the door open then close he had expected a nosy student or some other intruder but not Leota. “My day will go far better when you tell me what you were doing in there.” He says before peering over her shoulder as if something would be missing. He looks back at her waiting for some sort of response.

“I was hoping that Brigid had come to nap in here but I suppose not. Usually, I wouldn’t worry so much but Roisin sent a letter asking how she was.” Leota says which is only partially a lie. She may have not come in for that but she had been trying to keep an eye out for the cat all day with no luck.”Have you seen her anywhere, Severus?”

Severus shakes his head, “I haven’t seen her I’m afraid but I will keep an eye out for you.” He assures her as he tries to think about if he had seen the cat at any point during the day. It did sometimes sleep behind his desk though he wasn’t quite sure why. He had never been someone that enjoyed cats but the sound of its purring was relaxing as he wrote. “Is there anything else I can help you with, Miss Novak?”

“Oh now that you say that- well it’s not you helping me it’s the other way around,” Leota explains before she reaches into one of her pockets. She holds out the handkerchief that he’d given her, “I wanted to wait to give it back to you until I cleaned it. I also… I took some of your advice and stood up for myself. I told her that I’m her teacher and she needs to respect me.”

Severus inspects the cloth in her hand for a moment before he takes it back and puts it into his own pocket. He smiles for a moment proud that Leota had stood up for herself. He thought after their conversation she wasn’t going to do it that she would continue to let her sister step over her. “Good. You know she is in my next class so we’ll see how she does.” He knew that she would tell him not to fuss with it but he couldn’t help it. He’d heard what the girl said so he was at least going to go with this with a negative mindset.

“Well, I hope that she doesn’t give you a hard time. She was in Defense Against the Dark Arts class yesterday and she seemed to me like she was in a better mood. I do understand why she was upset she wanted to put her name in.” Leota says before she sees the look on Severus’ face it says everything she knew it would. She lets out a laugh, “Don’t say it I can already tell you want to but no. I mean if I were in her place I’m sure I would be just as frustrated with our father putting so much pressure on her.”

“Would you put yourself in that place?” Severus asks with a curious raise of the brow. He had thought about it when they had first told the teachers if he would have joined. Perhaps now he would consider it but as a teenager, he would have never done it. He wanted to prove himself as a teenager but not to that extent, not in a way that would compromise his safety.

Leota shakes her head, “I think I would consider it for a while but in the end, I wouldn’t put my name in. I have my sisters to look out for. I can’t think of myself and what I would want.” Then again would she want that even if she didn’t have her excuse? Fame and glory would tempt anyone but she had a feeling it wouldn’t be what she wanted from her life.”That doesn’t change anything though I would react the same way if I were in my sister's shoes.”

“I highly doubt that,” Severus tells her before he looks back at his classroom where students are starting to file in. Seeing them start to talk to each other he knows he has a bit more time so he looks back at her. “Will you be sitting in on my class this morning?”

It is a tempting offer but the vial feels heavier in her pocket by the moment. Even if it was fine by the two of them it still felt like theft. “Actually I should head back to the Defense classroom Professor Moody is expecting me…” She says before looking down the hallway knowing that she should go back. Looking back to him she smiles, “I think I’ll head back but I’ll see you at lunch, Severus.”

“I will see you then Leota,” Severus says watching as she waves and turns to leave. He watches her until she turns down a corner now out of his line of vision. Once she’s gone he turns on his heel to back to the classroom. As he walks in he sees her sister sitting in the back of the classroom keeping his neutral look as he gets into the front of the classroom.

Leota walks back to the classroom finding Professor Moody sitting at the desk in the front. She can’t tell if he’s frantically writing or tapping his pen out of 9mpatience. She didn’t want to find out either way though, she quickly makes her way up to him. “Sorry about that I got held up but here it is.” She takes the vial out of her pocket and sets it on his desk. “Is there anything else that you need from me if not I’ll just go for a walk during this break in between classes?”

Moody looks up as the young woman sets the vial down. Something must have upset her maybe what held her up but he didn’t really care. “Right then. I’m actually going to get some work done up there so you may as well head out.” He tells her before he picks up the vial and heads up the small staircase to the classroom.

Leota watches as the man heads up no goodbye or thank you just leaving her there alone. She puts her things in her bag before heading out of the classroom to go walk to the lake. With this man, she knew it would be a long few years but at least she had people who cared, people like Severus.


	7. Chapter 7

The night had finally come and all of the students were gathering in the Great Hall. As they did the teachers did the same from another entrance, Leota among them. She was eager to see what would happen; she had gotten to see all of the students over this short time. She had no idea who would be chosen from each school though, other than her former school of course. The young woman has a seat and smiles at Professor McGonagall, “Good evening how are you, Professor?” Leota asks, wondering if the woman will have any sort of stories about the trouble students had caused that day.

The older woman smiles, “Oh quite alright I taught a lesson today on vanishing to the fifth years. That is always a subject that fascinates them with no fail. I know that not all of them will be able to master the art but even trying seems to amaze them. It starts off small as one usually does with these things. Even still I had some students that in the first lesson I’m sure could have gone to much more difficult tasks. That is no surprise of course we have bright students at this school though finding them bright in the area of transfiguration is wonderful. I find it’s always the ones you would least expect.”

Severus makes his way over to the table having his seat where he watches as Leota eagerly listens in to Minerva drone on about her class. He had no idea how Leota did it and so very convincingly at that. Her green eyes seemed to glint with excitement even in the dimly lit room. Any light that was coming from the room surely came from that bright smile on her face. Everything about the young woman brought a sort of warmth that drew attention to her anywhere she went especially here at the school.

He’d heard it all the same boys who whispered about how beautiful she was or the vapid girls trying to nitpick everything about her in hopes to get the attention back to them. While the man hated to admit it, hearing such things brought a sort of rage to him that he hadn’t experienced in a long time. He had silenced a few students blaming other things like talking during class or loitering in the hallway. He started to realize though as he admired the way that she ran a hand through golden locks that it was not about anything but her, it was all about her. It was something he would have thought about longer but he realizes that someone is calling his name.

Looking over he realizes he had looked down at the table at some point. That was very lucky for him as Minerva was the one calling his name. “Yes?” He asks as he looks at her trying to ignore those sparkling green eyes on him. 

“I asked you how your classes were for the day,” Minerva asks him. Usually, they didn’t talk about that sort of thing but now that Miss Novak was close he supposed that she could try. Something about Severus just reminded her of his time spent at Hogwarts as a student so she rarely thought of him in any other way. 

Severus doesn’t want to have this conversation especially not with Minerva. Lucky for him though the last of the students have come in and it’s time for the goblet to choose the contenders. 

“Sit down… sit down please,” Dumbledore tells the students as they make their way to their seats eagerly watching the cup. The blue flames illuminate the room and bring a focal point for all eyes as Dumbledore walks up to it. “Now the moment you’ve all been waiting for the champion selection.”

Leota leans in close to Severus whispering in his ear. “Who do you think it will be from Hogwarts?” She asks quietly before looking back out at the students. She had gotten to meet a lot of them during this time but she didn’t know any of them well enough to pinpoint it. She is sure that the other teachers at least had an idea.

Severus looks at her for a moment at how close she is. Her hand is nearly touching his. He is going to say something but before he can though Dumbledore goes closer to the cup. Snape turns to look away from Leota, pulling away from the one resting on top of his. Instead of looking at what he was sure was a disappointed look he watched as Dumbledore turned the paper over.

“The Durmstrang champion is Viktor Krum!”

Leota looks to her sister waiting to see the response which, much to her surprise is good. Her sister smiles and claps his shoulder as he walks past. Leota wonders if they had come to an understanding or if her sister was just pleased for him or if she planned to poison his pumpkin juice over dinner. The sisters lock eyes and smile at each other as the second champion is chosen. She’s from Beauxbatons, a beautiful girl who walks up next to Viktor Krum with a proud smile.

She looks back to Dumbledore as the third piece of paper comes out. “The Hogwarts champion is… Cedric Diggory!” At the announcement, the Hogwarts students break out into applause and loud applause as they all celebrate.

It should have come as no surprise to Leota now that she watched him come up with other champions. She’d seen him in class. He seemed to be everyone's friend and the one they always went to when they needed help in class. He was smart and well-spoken even for someone his age Hogwarts was lucky to have him as their competitor.

The teachers all started to stand to shake each contestant's hand so Leota did the same. Viktor came up first and she smiled at him, “I have heard many good things from Headmaster Karkaroff.” She compliments as he gives her a firm shake of the hand.

“Ah yes and what about your sister?” Viktor asks with a chuckle. Of course, he recognized her even if he hadn’t seen her introduced in the classroom they looked so similar. “You know… that may not be the best question to ask.”

“Probably not.” Leota agrees with a laugh before he moves on and she shakes Fleur's hand, “Félicitations, Mademoiselle Delacour!”

“Merci!” Fleur says as she shakes Leota’s hand before making the way to her own Headmistress eager to celebrate with her. She is waiting as some of the other teachers shake Cedric’s hand when he comes to her; she smiles reaching out to take his hand. Before she can though something happens behind them. Blue flames come out of the goblet causing everyone to stop and stare.

Dumbledore hesitantly makes his way over to the goblet watching as the flames turn red. Something isn’t right and they all knew it because the room was dead silent. Much to everyone’s surprise, another piece of paper spits out and Dumbledore reaches up to catch it in the air. He says the name quietly at first then a bit louder. “Harry Potter?” Each time he says it he gets louder until he is hollering the boy's name. “HARRY POTTER!”

“Oh, Merlin-” Minerva says quietly though no one would have heard her as students start to accuse the boy of cheating. Leota and Minevera exchanged a look before the older woman places a hand on Harry’s shoulder as he walks past them thinking of that unsure look in Leota’s eyes. She has no doubt in her mind that something was very wrong but they would figure it out that she was sure of.

The students all made their way to the back and teachers went to do the same. Leota followed only to have her arm grabbed in the hallway. She looks back to see Headmaster Karkaroff looking at her, “Is everything alright, Headmaster?” She asks as if anything about this is alright. Still, she knows that it’s something else by the look in his eyes to see such a composed man with fear in his eyes frightens her. 

Igor pulls them both to the side as the other teachers walk past. “You must know that something is wrong about all of this, yes?” He asks, waiting for the young woman to nod. He doesn’t know what is happening, though a sinking feeling sits heavy in his stomach. As if he is afraid to jinx it though refuses to acknowledge that thought instead, focusing on Leota. “I told your father I would take care of his children. I know that you are not a child but I will care for you all the same. If you see anything out of the ordinary- if you need anything you just find me.”

A clack of the Mad Eye’s staff brings their attention away from each other back to the man. “I think that the young woman is more than capable of taking care of herself- wouldn’t want her to teach students defense otherwise.” He looks to Leota and nods for her to join him. “This will be interesting to watch, let's go see what happens.”

Leota nods to Mad-Eye watching him turn to follow the other professors. Looking back at Igor one more time she smiles, “I will come to you if I need anything.” She says quietly before quickly following after Mad-Eye so he doesn’t realize that she had lagged behind him.

Dumbledore is the first one in with a fury in his eyes as is unmatched as he asks Harry how his name got into the Goblet. “Told you this would be good.” Mad-Eye says before walking over to defend Harry reminding them all that a fourth-year couldn’t just do this on his own.

Leota stands back next to some of the other teachers looking at Severus. “What do you think will happen?” He was too young to compete in the tournament the Ministry of Magic had set that law. Barty Crouch was standing there with them. Surely he knew what would happen, he wouldn’t let this happen. They weren’t going to put this boy's life at risk that much she was sure of or she hoped so at least. Why would they want to put Harry Potter of all people at risk?

“It was once my job to think as dark wizards do Karkaroff perhaps you remember?” Mad-Eye asks watching Durmstrang’s Headmaster walk away holding onto the edge of his sleeve. He cannot help the smirk on his face as the man walks away like a wounded puppy no doubt regretting opening his mouth about any of this.

The teachers circle around Barty Crouch Sr as he decides what he’ll do about this. “The rule is absolute the Goblet of Fire constitutes a binding magical contract; he is as of tonight a Triwizard champion.” It isn’t until the others start to leave that the real conversation begins.

Minerva is the first to respond insisting that they don’t let Potter compete, he’s just a boy after all. It isn’t something anyone should be subjected to but especially not Potter after everything that had happened after the Quidditch World Cup.

“No child should be subject to this because he is just that- a child. The other children know so much more than he does you’ll be sending him out to slaughter.” Leota says as she walks up looking at Dumbledore. She has no idea what had come over her but she had to defend the boy he clearly didn’t want to be there. “You can tell Potter doesn’t want this so why force him? Surely the consequences cannot be severe enough to force a 14-year-old boy to risk his life like this-”

“If I may sir if we are truly to figure out what these events are then perhaps we should let him compete… for the time being,” Snape suggests having cut off Leota and Minerva as he walks up watching Dumbledore wanting to see how he reacts.

“Oh, so we do nothing? We offer up Potter as bait?” McGonagall asks, getting frustrated with all of them. Leota is ready to give her opinion as well to tell them all it’s ludicrous but Dumbledore lifts a hand to silence everyone.

“I agree with Severus. Alastor, keep an eye on Harry, will you? Don’t let him know though he must be anxious enough as it is.” Dumbledore says having a conversation with Mad-Eye as everyone starts to leave the room.

Leota leaves the room frustrated that they’re all just fine with this- with forcing the boy to do this. How can having a teacher keep an eye on him keep the poor boy safe? That and it wasn’t just about him what were they letting in by putting this to chance? Would the rest of them be put at risk trying to figure out who had started the chaos around them? Heading down the hall she feels a hand on her arm and she just knows who it is. “Why am I crazy for wanting to keep that poor boy safe, Severus?” She asks before turning around to face Severus only to be met with Headmaster Karkaroff again instead. “Headmaster I apologize I thought you were-”

“Professor Snape, yes I am very much so aware of that,” Karkaroff says a disapproving look in his eye as he watches his former student. He was not blind he had seen the glances they shared and the long talks they’d have. Karkaroff was not sure what Severus’ plan was with this but he knew that it couldn’t be anything good. With everything that was happening he had to keep his promise to the girl’s father, he had to keep her safe. “Severus Snape is not good company to keep, Miss Novak.”

Leota looks back and sees the teachers starting to leave walking in the opposite direction with Karkaroff so no one sees or more importantly hears them. “You are one to talk. What was that Professor Moody was saying to you something about remembering what it was like for him. What catching dark wizards is like I believe is what he said.”

Karkaoff shakes his head before he stops having a look towards each side to make sure no one is in the hall. It is something he didn’t speak of and frankly never wanted to. When he took the position as Headmaster he was promised no students would be told unless parents were nosy of course but they all cared too much about the integrity of the school for it. “It is how I know exactly what I’m talking about, Leota.” He pulls up his sleeve to reveal the faded dark mark usually hidden away by long sleeves and his elaborate coats. “Has Severus Snape shown you his arm, or are you not yet that close?”

Leota looks down at Karkaroff’s arm staring at the dark mark with wide eyes. Why had her father never said anything about Karkaroff’s past. It makes her consider her mother who had not wanted her children going to Durmstrang, was this the reason? Her father had to know about it. The two were close friends. Headmaster Karkaroff was a fixture at family events after her mother's death. Still, she can’t linger on that for long though because she has another thought, Severus. “I am not sure what you think you owe to my father or why you think you have to protect me but it’s over. I am perfectly capable of handling myself, stop wasting your energy on me and protect my sister instead will you?”

As Leota storms away she hears Karkaroff shouting after her but doesn’t even bother to look back at the man. While she wants to dismiss his accusations and act like none of it had happened, all she can think about is rolling up Severus’ sleeve to learn the truth.


	8. Chapter 8

Mail came in the mornings dropped off by the student's owls as they ate their breakfast. While this was usually something Nessa looked forward to but not now. When an owl came into the Great Hall heading towards her she could feel her heart racing just knowing it was a letter from her father. He would be telling her how angry he was that she had lost the spot of the champion to Viktor Krum. It wouldn’t matter the Ministry had changed the rules. What mattered was that she had lost the coveted spot to Viktor Krum especially now that the fourth year would be in the competition she really had no excuse why it couldn’t be her.

Three letters drop between Nessa and the student next to her. Before she can grab for them he takes the entire stack to look through. “Did anyone ever teach you that taking from others is rude, Viktor?” She says before she reaches over to snatch the letters from him.

“They could be my letters for all you know.” Viktor reminds her as he moves them out of her grasp so that he can have a look at all of them. Seeing one of them he chuckles dropping the familiar red envelope of a howler in front of her. “I am more than happy to give you that one though.” Looking through the letters he finds one from his mother and the other addressed to Leota Novak so he drops that down next to the ominous howler.

Looking at the red envelope she swallows feeling all eyes on her as if they’re waiting for her to open it. She knows the longer she leaves it the angrier it’ll be but she doesn’t care. She picks it up and shoves it into her pocket seeing Viktor watch from the corner of his eye, “Something you’d like to see, Viktor?”

“I just think that would be an unwise decision. You know how howlers can be especially from your father.” Viktor reminds her though he really doesn’t have to have to as her father has always made use of howlers, more than most parents at the school. 

“And give you the satisfaction of listening to me get screamed at? That’s unlikely. I mean this is all your fault, why would I do that?” Leota asks as she looks at the letter meant for her sister. She wonders if she can just open and read that rather than deliver it. Maybe it would make her feel better to see the nasty things their father wrote to Leota, softening the blow of the howler to come.

Viktor raises a brow at her accusation, “Why would it be my fault that you got a howler? I do not remember doing anything with you that would warrant a howler.” She won’t look at him so he decides to do the same opening his own mail and starting to read the sweet letter his mother had written him. “I mean, surely I would remember doing something like that with you, Nes.”

“You are in the tournament taking the place my father trained me for all summer long. Now I have to listen to him scream at me in four different languages because of it.” Nessa tells him rolling her eyes as if it should be the most obvious thing. How could he not know after seeing this happen so many times that it was his fault, it was always his fault?

Viktor shakes his head glancing back over at Nessa, “I give you my most sincere apology. However, can I make it up to you?”He asks voice dripping with sarcasm as he smirks at Nessa. He likes how easy it is to get a rise out of her and hopes that asking her such a question will do just that.

Nessa knows Viktor well enough to know exactly what he’s doing. Rather than let him she holds out the letter addressed to her sister. “Go take this over to my sister Leota. You can use that charm of yours to distract her while I go find somewhere to listen to this by myself.”

“You think I’m charming?” Viktor asks with a smile though she quickly dismisses him with a roll of the eyes. He gets up deciding to be the nice one and gets up to go deliver the letter to her sister. No sooner is he making his way up than Nessa is sneaking out the door. He’s not quite sure why she doesn’t want her sister to know about the howler but he’s happy to do his part if she asks.

“What do you suppose Krum is doing?” Ron asks as he looks up to Krum standing at the teacher's table holding up something to the teacher’s assistant. She takes it and they have a quick conversation. He has to wonder if it’s anything interesting.

“So are you more jealous of her for getting to talk to Krum or Krum for getting to talk to her?” Fred asks before he looks over at George letting out an exhausted sigh, “Honestly it’s hard to keep up with who Ron is in love with these days.”

Ron glares back at both of his brothers as they argue with each other, “Oh shove off both of you.” He mumbles to them before he looks back up only for the short conversation to be over as Krum walks back to his seat.

Severus glances over to Leota who holds the letter she had just received with a worried look on her face. At a glance, he doesn’t see who it is from but she must recognize the handwriting knowing exactly who it is. “Not bad news I hope.”

Leota looks up from her father’s letter to Severus and smiles before she hides it away in her robes. “Nothing important just my father he can always find something to complain about.” She isn’t in the mood to hear about the ways he thought she was a failure. Part of her wonders if it’s about disobeying Karkaroff only a week earlier. She had greatly considered taking his advice to drop contact with Severus but in the end, she couldn’t help it. He was her friend and she enjoyed getting to talk to him so she would deal with her father’s angry letter and Karkaroff’s glare behind her. “It is the last thing that I want to deal with right now though because I know that he is going to find some way to make me miserable.”

Severus looks at the letter before he takes it from her hands and tucks it away into his pocket. “You can have this back once we’re done. There are no classes today so we will do something else instead.” He tells her in a matter-of-fact tone. He isn’t going to let her entire day be ruined by this. It was the weekend and her first real break since she had gotten there. She hadn’t been taking breaks during this time finding a lesson or cleaning things up.

“Well, what do you propose that I do then?” Leota says reaching a hand out for her letter only for him to put it in his pocket. She has no idea why he would do that. He was a good friend but did he really care so much but was trying to distract her like this his kind nature knew no bounds. “It’s not like I have some big project to distract myself with. Oh please tell me that you have one? I’ll polish all the ingredient vials if I have to I just want the distraction from my impending angry letter from my father.”

“Not a distraction at the school but perhaps you should get away from the grounds.” He suggests which really seems to get her attention. “As you may know the students are allowed trips to Hogsmeade and if they aren’t busy the teachers are given the same option. Some use it as a way to make sure the students stay out of trouble but others do use it for leisure. I think a trip to the Three Broomsticks may do you some good, you can get a butterbeer and relax for some time.”

The idea is brilliant and Leota eagerly nods at his suggestion it would be a lovely way for her to relax on her day off. “I assume that you will be the one to take me of course- show me around Hogsmeade for the day.” She thinks that it’s more of a demand than a suggestion but she knows it will be up to his interpretation either way. If he decides that it was only a suggestion and not him asking her to go with him then she will respect it of course.

Severus chuckles as she speaks, “Yes that would of course be me accompanying you to Hogsmeade. I would like to be anyway unless you want to go by yourself. I would understand if you did but I wouldn’t want you to… get lost.” He wants to ask it to be more than that but he isn’t ready to admit to that.

“Alright how about I see you this afternoon I’m going to go do some writing for Roisin. I’ll meet you back here at the Great Hall.” Leota says with a smile patting his hand before she gets up to head to her room. She didn’t have to write to her sister a letter of course she had already written in her journal for the day she actually just had to get ready to go out with Severus to Hogsmeade.

She moves in front of the mirror and runs a brush through her hair. She'd already done it but she feels like she needs to do it again. She puts her hair up before shaking her head and putting it back down. She tries a few more things before she decides to put her hair half up just to get it out of her face. She debates changing her outfit but she liked the dress she was wearing. She thought it was pretty, surely he would as well. She stops herself mid-thought why should she care what he thought? He hadn’t asked her in any way other than friendship.

“You look really pretty.” 

Leota turns around and sees her sister standing in the doorway. She wonders how her sister could’ve gotten there until she sees the black cat that had no doubt led Nessa there. “You’ve been crying… why are you crying?” She asks walking over and wiping away her sister’s tears. She frowns realizing that Viktor giving her the letter had to be on purpose, “Did father write you a letter as well?”

Nessa leans into her sister's touch and sniffles, “I didn’t get a letter from him, I got a howler.” She reaches into the pocket of her robes holding up a few of the bright red scraps of what had been the letter. “He isn’t all that happy with me right now. I mean why would he be I failed him.”

“Oh Nessie- Ness you didn’t fail anyone,” Leota says pulling her sister tight into her arms. As soon as Nessa is in her arms the younger sister crumbles her body shaking with sobs. Leota rubs her sister's back pressing a kiss to her blonde hair, “You are the best quidditch player your age you’re so damn bright. I mean I’ve heard what all the teachers say about you Professor Flitwick thinks you could be a dueling master if you wanted. He says I should get you in a dueling club.”

.Nessa looks at her sister and smiles, “You’re just saying that to make me stop crying.” Then again why would her sister make up something like that? All she had to was say nice things she wouldn’t have had to back it up. 

Leota smiles as she runs her hand up and down Nessa’s back. “You were mean to me, why would I ever be nice to you unless it was true?” She asks teasingly before she looks at her sister. Lifting her hand up she wipes away those tears. “How about we forget about father- forget about all of this. I was thinking of going to Hogsmeade for the day. I can sign us both out and we can go buy some sweets and see if that puts you in a better mood.”

“Well you look so pretty aren’t you going there with someone else? Maybe someone you like?” Nessa asks as she wipes away more of her tears. As nice as it sounds to go to Hogsmeade she doesn’t want to ruin her sister’s day that much. “I mean you did seem pretty keen to talk about Professor Flitwick.” She has to tease her sister at least someone or she’ll start crying again which neither of them wants.

Leota rolls her eyes as her sister suggests that she was going with someone. “Very funny now go grab your cape and I’ll meet you in the Great Hall. I’ll sign us out and then we can leave.” She gives her sister a kiss on hair before they both leave the room. Making her way back to the Great Hall. She walks over to the sheet students are using and signs her sister out before she looks around for Severus. She knows he’ll be waiting for her so she wants to tell him that she is going away before he stands there waiting for her.

Nessa is quick to grab her deep red cape draping it carefully over her shoulders before she makes her way to the Great Hall. Walking over to her sister she smiles, “Are we ready to head out?” She asks before holding out an arm for her sister to take.

Leota gives one last look around the room before looking at her sister with a nod, “I am ready to go let's head out then.” She says before wrapping her arm around her sisters putting her shoulder. Looking around she sees him making sure that he can catch a glimpse of them without having to admit to him that she is ditching their plans.

Nessa can see how her sister meets the gaze of one of her Professors only more curious. Deciding to see what it’s about she walks so they go past the man stopping in front of him with a smile, “Professor Snape it’s nice to see you… what are you doing today?”

Severus looks at the two women seeing how they seem to be close which is good for them but not good for their plans. “Nothing that concerns you, Miss Novak.”

“Well, we are going to Hogsmeade for at least the early afternoon though I’m sure my sister will be back to help you with whatever it is you do after lunch grade homework and get potions ready,” Nessa says feeling her sister step on her foot. “Anyways I’ll go ahead and leave you two to plan whatever you’ll do.”

Leota watches her sister as she runs off before looking back at Severus, “I’m sorry about that she came to me crying. I wanted to do something to cheer her up and it was the first thing I could think of but we’ll do this some time soon I promise.”

“I believe she’s watching us so you may want to leave,” Severus tells her before he turns to go put away his outside cloak deciding what he’ll do with his now open day.

Leota knows he isn’t happy but she’ll make it up to him some way so she makes her way back over to her sister, “I think he’ll be just fine without my help.”

“Oh I think that he’ll find whatever way he can to get your help,” Nessa assures her with a smile. She isn’t sure how she hadn’t seen it sooner but it was obvious now that she thought about it. Seeing her sister’s look though she realizes that she doesn’t want to speak about it. “Alright alright let's head out before you change your mind.”


	9. Chapter 9

“Can I ask you a question Professor?” Leota asks as she makes her way into the office setting down the few vials of potions that she had taken in front of him. She was going to ask her question either way but she figured it was far more polite to ask first.

Mad-Eye looks up and sighs seeing her thoughts all over her face. “I’ve got a feeling you’re going to ask either way so shoot.” He tells her before he looks back down and picks up his quill to go back to his writing. He doesn’t really have much to write but he doesn’t want to look at her while she goes on about whatever is on her mind.

Leota has to hold back her annoyance as he acts like she’s inconveniencing her day by even speaking. She’d done work for him for weeks and he still acted like anything she needed as an inconvenience which she hated more than anything. “I only wanted to know what you are doing with these ingredients. I'm curious.” Potions had never been her strongest subject but even she knew how strange and out of place all these ingredients were.

“Some personal use most for classes, it’s not that important really,” Mad-Eye tells her before dipping his quill back into the ink. Do you have any other questions, Miss Novak?” He hopes not because he doesn’t need someone around that was going to ask too many questions. If she asked the wrong questions he would have to get rid of her and with family, it was far too complicated so he’d ignore her to quiet her down.

Of course, it was vague, why would she think he was going to give her anything but a vague answer? “Actually yes I finished grading the parchments that the fifth years turned in on Thursday so I think I’ll take the afternoon off.” She says taking the parchments from her bag and putting them on the desk next to her potion ingredients. “If that’s alright with you of course. I will wait to finish the third year's work until tomorrow.”

“I’ll do the third year's work today and leave what’s left on the desk for you to get tonight. You can go.” Mad-Eye tells her before he motions for her to leave. As she does he takes those papers that he said he would grade. He puts them down on his desk figuring after he makes his next batch of polyjuice potion he will get them done or at least most of them.

Leota started to mutter to herself as she walked down the hall knowing that she was out of his range. As irritated as she was she knew that she had the rest of the day to herself which only meant one thing she could make up for the time she was supposed to spend with Severus. Heading to his office she finds him working and stands in the doorway watching with a smile.

Severus can feel the eyes on him but he keeps working assuming it was just a student. Whoever it was would work up the courage to speak soon enough and he could get this over with. After some time though no one speaks or comes closer so he lifts his head and looks up. He smiles as he sees that it’s Leota, “Why are you just standing there, am I doing something interesting that you would want to watch?”

Leota smiles back making her way in and shutting the door, “You were concentrating so hard I didn’t want to disturb you.” She makes her way over him look at what he’s doing. “I hope you’re not too busy because I’m going to make up that trip to Hogsmeade. I'll buy the first round of butterbeer, what do you say?”

Severus looks at his work for a moment and he thinks that he should get it done now but why? He has the rest of the weekend for grading work and getting the next week's work ready so taking a few hours off wouldn’t kill him. “Alright, you’ve convinced me to do it now let's head out.” He tells her before putting his things away and getting up from his seat.

“It was that easy? Here I thought I was going to have to spend more time convincing you to join me. I’m happy that’s not the case.” Leota tells him with a smile before she nods for him to come with her. She knew the way now that she had taken her sister to Hogsmeade so she leads him. “It’s beautiful… I mean all of this is beautiful but I like Hogsmeade.”

“You’ll have to see it in a few weeks when it starts snowing it looks even better,” Severus tells her as they head down the street seeing the students pass by them. Some of them slow down as they see Professor Snape, something they usually do when he’s around. He couldn’t be bothered to notice though because all he could do is think about Leota. She was so close and as they walked their hands brushed which made his heart race. He felt like a young boy nervous to be around a beautiful girl but how could he not around her?

Walking up to the door he holds it open watching as Leota makes her way inside before heading to the second floor with her where they have more privacy. Severus slides into one side of the booth watching as she goes across from him. “You look nice by the way I don’t think I said that to you.”

“Oh thank you you look nice as well,” Leota tells him before she nervously tucks her hair behind her ear. She hadn’t really tried at least not like she had planned to when he had first brought the idea up with her. This wasn’t what she had planned for but then again she hadn’t had much of a plan with any of this because she hadn’t expected him in her life.

Severus looks over as someone comes up to them to take their order. “I’ll take a hot butterbeer and whatever the lady is having.” He knew that she had insisted on being the one that bought the first round but he couldn’t help it. “We could share something to eat if you’d like.”

Leota shakes her head, she should’ve realized that he would do something like offering to play before they even ordered. “I’ll have a warm butterbeer as well and maybe we can split a piece of the victorian sponge?” She asks before looking over at Severus for confirmation.”

“That sounds lovely,” Severus tells her before he watches the man write down a few things and leave. Once the man is gone he looks back at Leota feeling comfortable enough to have a conversation now that they were alone. “How are you enjoying the school now that you’ve had more time to settle into things?”

“Well it’s alright Professor Moody keeps me plenty busy-” Leota tells him, resting her hand on top of his as they make conversation. She looks over as she sees some of the students giggle and whisper to each other. Severus slowly pulls his hand away from hers and she can tell that he is starting to feel a sort of vulnerability she hadn’t expected. “Unless you have questions about your potions homework I think it best you leave.” She tells them before nodding for the students to leave.

Severus watches the students leave before he looks to Leota; she is a remarkable woman. He had no idea how she had ever needed him to suggest she stand up for herself when she was so capable. “I do wonder if you will have… any more free time soon.” He tells her nodding as the waiter walks back over, setting down the warm mugs down and a piece of cake between them.

Leota smiles, “Well that depends what would I be using this extra free time for?” She asks before picking up a fork and having a bite of the cake. She would be more than willing to spend more time with Severus; she would take any excuse at this point.

“To ready the students for the Yule Ball at Christmas time I will be giving the Slytherins a dance lesson,” Snape tells her though he looks pained having to say it was not something he wanted to do. He had suggested all the houses do this together but they were all so eager to teach that the other heads of the houses voted to instead work alone leaving him to teach the Slytherins. “I’m not sure how your dancing skills are but I will need a partner to help me show the students how to dance.”

That was not Leota had expected, maybe watching the classroom for him or helping chaperone a school even not teaching the students to dance. “I would love to be your dance partner, Severus. Just tell me the day and I will be more than happy to help you instruct them.” She tells him before she lifts her mug up and has a drink. She can imagine just how nice with will be as it gets even chillier having snow around them. She was eager to see it happen. “How is your dancing? I’m sure that you’re a lovely dancer, Severus.”

Severus shakes his head before he has a sip as well. “I’m not sure why you would think that I am a dreadful dancer. I’m hoping that having you there will help- as long as you can dance of course.” He can barely manage himself but he doesn’t have two left feet so they should be able to get the idea across for the students. 

“We could always try if you’d like we can head back to your office and see how good you are. It would be nice maybe I can show you a thing or two.” Leota teases before having another drink. She isn’t sure if he will like the idea but it would mean she could spend more time with him today. “We can have a bit of music and figure out what we’ll teach them. It will be… cozy.”

Severus is unsure how that will go, “I think that sounds nice but we may need to add something a bit stronger to these drinks if you are going to show me dance moves.” He suggests mostly as a joke but he does wonder if this would be a good idea to loosen himself up. He'll need to relax if he wants to start dancing with Leota.

Leota nods she gets up, giving his hand a squeeze as she does. “I am going to see about getting the next round a bit stronger don’t eat all of the cake while I’m gone.” She heads down to the first floor of the building going to the bar area where people are walking up to order. As she waits so looks over at Viktor Krum, “Well hello Mister Krum what are you doing here?”

Viktor looks over at Leota before he smiles, picking up a few mugs that they had put in front of him, “A few of us that play quidditch decided to come to have a drink and talk about strategy.” He tells her before nodding back to the table. He had tried to make it just a trip with Nessa but she hadn’t gotten the hint inviting some of the others. Still, it was nice they all enjoyed quidditch so it would be nice to talk. “I am sure that she would not mind saying hello- your sister I mean she is here with me.”

Leota smiles and shakes her head, “I am actually here with a friend but tell her I said hello.” She says before picking up her drinks and heading back upstairs. She puts one of the drinks in front of Severus, “I apologize I ran into a student. It seems my sister is here on a date.”

Severus picks up the drink set in front of him before having a drink and it’s strong. “I hope that they weren’t a bother to you.” He wants to focus on themselves right now but if her sister is going to be a problem he’ll happily turn their energy to this instead.

“No no you worry too much it was fine,” Leota says before she shakes her head and has a sip of her drink. Once she sets it down she wraps her hands around the mug to enjoy the warmth it’s letting off. “Let's talk about potions instead. I want to hear about what you’re working on. I'm  
curious.”

Small talk was not Severus’ expertise but getting to talk about potions? That he could any day so he tells her both what he is working on for himself and for his students. They are able to get through their drinks and finish off the cake. He brings his fork down looking down to see that the cake is gone. “Well… it seems like we’ve finished this off.”

Leota looks down and nods, “I think that would be our cue to head out, let's go pay and head back to your office because we’re still going to dance. I’m not giving up on that, Severus.” She tells him before she gets up and heads downstairs.

Severus shakes his head before getting up to walk over with her. He pays for what they’d ordered at first then headed out with her. “You know that was a smart idea I feel like I could at least try to dance.” 

Leota looks up at him as they walk back towards the school, “Really? I am very happy to hear that Severus. You just needed to loosen up a bit I’m sure that by the time that we start teaching the students to dance.” She assures him before she wraps her arm around his own.

Severus isn’t sure how he manages it but he wonders if she can hear his heart racing surely it’s loud enough for half the school to hear. They come back to his office and he looks around moving the chairs out of the way trying to get them some space so they have room to dance.

Leota shuts the door before she takes out her wand she waits for him once he has come back up she waves her wand and music comes on. She isn’t sure what exactly they need but it’s a slow song so it will get them started. Putting away her wand she steps in front of him holding out her hand for him to take.

Severus smiles, taking her hand before he puts his other hand on her waist. “Let’s see if your dancing skills will save us both from making fools of ourselves.”


	10. Chapter 10

Dear Rosie,

My heart is racing and I feel butterflies in my stomach every time that I see him. I know that you are too young to know what love is or I think so anyway but I want you to know what this is like. This is not a schoolgirl crush, a real sort of love that makes your heart sing. I hope that you will get to feel this one day because it is so very perfect. Going to sleep imagining what it would be like to kiss someone it’s everything I could ever dream of. I’m not sure what will come of it, this may be a one-sided love but right now I don’t care. All I care about is showing off my dance move. I know it sounds strange but I’ll explain later just know that I will have a lovely day.

Lovingly yours, Your Doe

Leota has to go fast if she wants to make it in time. She had spent so much time grading students' homework and had lost track of time. She runs down the halls nearly dropping her bag as she turns down one of the halls. She stops outside the door taking in a deep breath before she opens her bag changing her shoes to something she can dance in. As she walks in she tries to catch her breath showing the Slytherin students her best smile. 

Heading to the front of the classroom she sets her bag down on the table before she smiles at Severus, “I apologize I had no idea that I was going to get that into grading.” She tells him quietly, though the students weren’t paying attention. The last few of them are entering after her and the rest are making conversation.

“You’re quite alright you were actually on time- unlike the students,” Severus tells her clearly not pleased that his students are all making their way on their own time. When he told them to do something he meant the time not when they felt like it. He looks over at her, "Can you get the music on while I get the student’s attention, Miss Novak?” He asks and when she nods in confirmation he pauses to look at the students seeing who would notice that he was waiting for their attention.

Leota walks over to the large record player in the room and places the record on it before she looks back to Severus. Some of the students have started to quiet finally realizing what is happening though others are still talking as if they have nothing better to do.

Slamming his hand to the table, all eyes go to Snape and the silence is loud as everyone shuts up to stare at them. Snape paces back and forth watching them as the last of his student's eyes follow him. “Today we are going to learn how to dance in preparation for the Yule Ball. This is the house of Salazar Slytherin and we will not make fools of ourselves because you all stumble over your own feet when you walk.” That earned a few chuckles though Snape looks to the parties responsible and they quickly go quiet. “Today I have with me Miss Novak who you may know as Professor Moody’s teaching assistant.”

Leota stops when she hears herself introduced standing to face the students. She smiles at them trying to be a warm and inviting face, opposite of everything Severus is at the moment. “It is a pleasure to see you all again today. I will be here to assist Professor Snape in showing you how to slow dance. It is an easy thing to do once you set your mind to it. All you need to do is relax. This is all in good fun so try to enjoy yourself as it will loosen you up and help you dance better.”

Severus nods heading to the middle of the floor waiting for Leota to join him there in the middle where all eyes are on them. “Now you will place your right hand on your partner's waist.” He explains before placing a careful hand on Leota’s waist. It felt different now as all eyes were on them no longer hidden by the closed door of his office. “Then with your other hand, you will take their hand extending it like so.” 

Leota smiles following along with his movement trying to be the perfect example so they know what to do. “Now you will step like such- watch how Professor Snape leads.” She tells them watching all the students look back to Professor Snape. They seem to glide effortlessly, their eyes locked as they move around. She keeps count for them so the students can see just how easy it was to get the hang of the dance.

They intended on only giving a short demonstration but Severus decided at the last moment to continue it. After all, they had a more difficult dance to learn, one that all three schools would be part of. “Do you trust me?” He quietly asks before he spins her slow about it so that the students can see how he does it.

Leota thought about it for a moment wondering why had decided to continue the dance. She wasn’t complaining though she loved dancing with him wondering if she could dance with Severus at the Yule Ball. They will figure that out afterward, for now, he asked her a question, “Yes of course I trust you, Severus.”

“You will place both your hands on your partner's waist and have them place their hands on your shoulders,” Severus tells them waiting for Leota to do as he instructed. “And to the music, you will lift them like so.” He lifts her with ease before he sets her back down moving to the position to start dancing again. “It is that simple, all it takes is your partner's trust as well as some skill which you will all have by the end of this lesson.”

Being lifted in the air nearly knocks the breath out of Leota in the best sort of way. They hadn’t practiced that part of the dance when they were alone only speaking about it. He had been so effortless though and it amazed her. “Yes, trust is important with relaxing like we spoke about and a bit of trust you will all succeed.” The song comes to an end and she stops pulling away from him. She smiles at the students. “Now it’s time for you to all get up so we can start learning to dance together.

Severus watches them all look hesitantly at each other then back to the woman, “I do believe that Miss Novak has told you to do something.” He tells them before heading to the end near the music wanting to leave room for the students.

Leota follows Severus walking over to flip the record and once it’s ready a far more upbeat tune starts to play. “Come on get up and we are going to shake off all of our nerves. Yes, there we go!” Most of the students are up, “We're going to just have fun there’s no judgment here we are just going to have fun to get ourselves ready.”

Severus watches as Leota tries to get the students to relax. She is walking around talking to them getting some of them to laugh as she does. The way she interacts with them is effortless in ways he doesn’t think he would be able to. Rather than hate her for it he nearly smiles about it, happy to see Leota so thrilled he knew she’d make a good teacher seeing her like this. He catches himself though not wanting the students to see him, a smiling nervous mess he could be if he kept his focus on just her.

“There you are Mister Nott just like that.” Leota praises before she takes his hand and spins him around with a smile. The students seem so much lighter ready to laugh and have some fun then more importantly start dancing. She keeps them going through the entire song and once it ends they’re all up and dancing. “Now I’m going to have you all pair up with Professor Snape changes us back to the original song.”

Severus watches Leota for a moment before realizing that she is talking to him. “Right- yes I will change the song.” He agrees before turning to get the song ready for the students Once they are ready he gets the music started. “Just as we say listen to Miss Novak’s counting.”

“One two three- one two three. Alright, there you are, keep it going like that you’re doing a brilliant job. ” Leota says as she makes her way back over to Severus. Standing next to him she gently nudges his hand with her own. For a moment they touch fingers before one of the students starts to stumble. Letting go of Severus’ hand she walks over to them, “Are you alright? Yeah there you go it happens to the best of us just shake it off and start over.”

Severus brings his hands together feeling the place she had touched his hand. “Keep it going we will not be putting shame on Slytherin house's name because you cannot keep on your feet. Go keep it up.” He says before slamming a hand to the table getting the ones who weren’t taking this seriously to stand up straighter. Leota was doing such a good job with them but a few of them needed more than nice words to get them convinced.

Leota sighs as Severus starts to scare the children she hates to see that when the children don’t really need it. They all seemed so much lighter now and she wanted to keep the mood up. “Just straighten your arm a bit there- perfect you’re doing great.” She tells them as she makes her way over to two of the other students to show them what to do.

Severus has to go through the record for a second time and when it ends he realizes just how long the students have been left up. Stopping the record he looks over at Leota motioning for her to join him back at the front of the classroom.

Leota hears the music stop and looks over to the front where Snape is looking to the spot next to him. “That was perfect form great job you two.” She praises patting Pansy’s arm before she heads back to the front going to stand next to Severus. “They’re doing a great job aren’t they?”

Severus glances over to Leota with a passive shrug, “I think some of them could use more work but otherwise they’re fine.” It’s the closest to a compliment he will give but he also isn’t letting them hear it so it doesn’t count for much. Looking back to the students he clears his throat when all eyes come to him he nods. “This lesson was… better than I assumed it would be. There are some of you who will need extra help though and I will hold a second lesson for those of you who need it. I will tell you who you are the next time you’re in my class. That lesson will be after the first challenge.”

That was far from a compliment by anyone else's standards though from a harsh critic like Severus Snape that was a glowing review. Nodding in agreement Leota swept an arm towards the doorway smiling to the students they started to leave. “It was a pleasure to spend this time with you all. I'll see you in your next Defense Against the Dark Arts Class.” 

This time none of the students seem to linger instead eager to far away from the judging eyes of their professor. Leota watches them all as they laugh and whisper about who they’ll take to the Yule Ball. It would surely be all anyone spoke about for the next few weeks. She has a seat at one of the empty chairs changing back to her regular shoes as Severus starts to get the room back to the way it was. “It’s exciting don’t you think?” She asks before she looks to Severus.

Severus stops what he’s doing to look at Leota over his shoulder, “What would be so curious, Leota?” Was it anyone else he would have brushed off the conversation but lately he would take any excuse to keep her around longer? “If you don’t mind me asking of course.”

Leota smiles coyly before she stands up to make her way over to him. “The dance of course how could we not be excited about that? I know that it’s all meant to be about the students but that doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy it. A night to relax maybe even do some dancing?” She asks though she’s sure that he wouldn’t want to make such a public display “You could even show off those dance moves that we practiced earlier.” 

Letting out a chuckle Severus shakes his head, “Are you sure that you would even want to be seen with me in that capacity? I mean I could step on your foot like I nearly did when we last tried dancing. That would be a humiliation I wouldn’t want to share with all three wizarding schools.” It hadn’t been his finest hour and though he could have blamed it on their strong butterbeer he knew that it was mostly his own clumsy nature.

“Of course I would want to be seen with you in that capacity or any for that matter,” Leota tells him, surprised by her own bold words. She nervously smiles before tucking blonde hair behind her ear, “Surely after all this time that we’ve spent together you have to know that.”

“I-” He starts to say though he stops as he is unable to find the right words. He felt the same way of course but he hadn’t put it to words yet. It wasn’t that he couldn’t find the words they were there eager to fall from his lips but he had kept them sealed all this time out of fear. They had not known each other for a long time but it felt like she still knew him better than he even knew himself so maybe this was the right time, maybe he could open up about how he felt. 

Leota had no idea what he was going to say but clearly, as he stumbled upon his words it was obvious that he didn’t know either. She decides at that moment that she will use actions rather than wait for those words she has been longing for since she had first met him. She leans in close to him putting a hand on his cheek as she stares up into his longing brown eyes.

His breath catches as places a tender hand on his cheek she leans in close but not all the way leaving a lingering space between them. Severus leans in putting his own hand on her cheek, breaking that distance between them to finally press his lips against her own.

The kiss was everything she could have imagined his lips were soft and she swears that there are butterflies in her stomach as she holds onto him eager to keep kissing him. When they do pull away she catches her breath before looking back at him, “Wow.” She says unsure of what else there is to say at that moment. She’s in awe of the moment, the kiss, of him. “Now is that proof enough that I enjoy the time I spend with you?”

Taking a moment to compose himself he waits a beat before nods in agreement. “I think it also means that you are going to have to save me a dance at the Yule Ball.” He tells her only joking though when she pulls him in again for a second kiss he realizes that she probably doesn’t find it all that funny. Still, he’ll take it a quiet moment just between the two of them, one he’s sure that he’ll never forget.


	11. Chapter 11

Everyone is starting to bundle up now as it gets into the cooler months wanting to stay warm through the first task. Leota had tried to get her sister into extra layers but Nessa had run off before she could do that. Nessa seemed to be on a mission so Leota let her be sending her off to do whatever it was she wanted. Instead, she headed to find Severus going to his office to see him still deep in his work.

“Now what are you doing working? You know that the first task is in just a little while. Surely that work can wait until we’ve seen the first task.” Leota says as she makes her way over to the desk. She has a glance at the work looking to see what could be so important that he would be ignoring the biggest event happening now. 

Severus glances up from his work and shakes his head, “It isn’t required to view the first challenge and frankly I’m not sure that I want to.” He admits to her clearly not interested in seeing the task when he had better things he could be doing with his time. It also meant that everyone would be away and the distraction would give him some quiet time alone which is ideal to clear his head.

“It may not be required viewing but it is going to be fun,” Leota tells him before setting her bag down on his desk to guard him from being able to see most of his paperwork. “Besides I made you something for you to wear there. I was going to wait until we got to the challenge but if you’re going to make me work for it then I’ll just have to tell you now.” She jokes before opening up her bag and taking out a long knitted black and green scarf. “I was wanting to make some things by hand for Christmas. I thought I could test it on you because I figured you wouldn’t complain if it was dreadful.”

Severus reaches out and takes the scarf into his hands surprised as he looks at it. He’d been given throw away gifts as the people around him but not anything this thought out or well made. “Well lucky for you that you did such a good job on your first try.” He sees her eager eyes watching him so he chuckles before wrapping the sweater around his neck. “This scarf is nice, very warm.”  
,  
“Oh I’m happy you like it now come on you can wear it out for the first challenge now come on.” Leota insists, walking over and picking up his cloak from a rack and holds it out for him. “Please? Oh, come on just do this for me, Severus.”

Severus looks down to the bag covering his look then up to her knowing there was no way he could ever say no to her. Getting up he takes hold of her back and walks over to her exchanging his cloak for her bag. He wraps it around his shoulder and fastens it before holding out his arm for her to take. She does so and he smiles seeing that proud little look on her face. She had come in here on a mission and had gotten exactly what she wanted that would bring a sense of pride to anyone.

“I like it when you smile,” Leota says before she leans up and presses a kiss to his cheek. She was shy about her affection for him even here where they had no eyes on them. It wasn’t out of shame or anything just the giddy feeling she felt. He gave her a kind of feeling that she hoped would last for a long time: the beautiful heart racing and butterflies in your stomach sort of love she had dreamed about. Sure she’d had boyfriends in the past but he was something else entirely and she didn’t think that would wear off any time soon. “I’m sure it’s not something everyone gets to see so being able to experience it feels special.”

“Well… thank you,” Severus tells her before he ducks his head down and smiles. It was a real genuine compliment, something that he now painfully realized was rare in his life. Sure he was given compliments on his potions skills or how he taught but never his own personal life. This was about him and how sacred his smile was which was true. Letting people see him so soft, so happy. Truthfully it felt like he was being too vulnerable which was not a way he wanted to be perceived but it didn’t feel dreadful around her it was… nearly manageable in his eyes. Still, it was only around her that he felt this way so as they left his office and headed down the hallway his expression changed to his regular solemn one.

“How do you think they’ll do- the students I mean. I know that they are the most worthy of the students here but that doesn’t make me any less nervous for them.” Leota tells Severus. Harry was especially on her mind at that moment, sure he had Professor Moody there to look after him but that wouldn’t be enough. To be part of this you needed to know spells and think faster on your feet than most 14 year old boys did. Part of her hopes that he’ll forfeit or do something to get disqualified so he won’t have to put himself through this madness. “I think they’ll do good or at least I hope they will.”

“Now you remember our plan for the challenge, yes?” Igor asks as he pats Viktor on the shoulder. His student nods confidently causing a wide grin to spread across his face. He could appreciate everything that was right about Viktor in this situation. He was the strongest and by far the bravest of the students. Still, when it came to planning Viktor was not as ahead as some of the other students were. Nevertheless, he had his headmaster there to guide him so he would do just fine. Looking back behind him Igor smiles, “Miss Novak, have you come to great the champion before his big match?”

Nessa nods as she makes her way into the tent. “I wanted to tell him how proud the rest of the Quidditch team is. They decided to send me in to say it- figured he wouldn’t believe I agreed with them unless he heard it from me.” She jokes before winking at Viktor.

Viktor looks over at Igor, “May we have a minute alone? I would very much like to hear this. It may be the only time that I hear Nessa say I’ll do good.” He watches as Igor leaves before nodding for her to join him in one of the closed-off areas of the tent. Knowing her she wouldn’t want eyes on them as they spoke she was a far more private person than he was, at least when it came to things like emotions.

Nessa nods to their headmaster as he leaves before she follows Viktor back to one of the waiting areas in the tents. It has chairs to sit it and refreshments for the champions but more importantly a curtain that closes behind them. Once that curtain closes she springs on him going right in to furiously kiss Viktor. His hand is on the small of her back holding her close as they both enjoy that kiss.

When they pull away Viktor grins, “I’m not sure I could have waited for that much longer.” He admits before tucking a blonde lock behind her ear before flashing her a charming smile. It usually made girls swoon but Nessa rolled her eyes at him like it was a silly inconvenience. That was something he liked far more than the giggling nervous girls.

“I know I thought we would never get a chance to be alone this week. Everyone has been hanging off of you trying to figure out what you’ll do for the first task.” Nessa tells him before rolling her eyes. Normally she would be jealous but when Viktor had everyone’s eyes on him but he still chose to spend any free time he had with Nessa she trusted him. “Now are you ready for the challenge- ready to do this like we said?”

Viktor nods before he gives her another kiss. “Yes I am and thank you for your suggestion. The headmaster’s plan was… good but I think that this will get it done a lot faster.” He is about to lean in close when he stops hearing the curtain open. A flashing light nearly blinds the two of them looking over they see Rita Skeeter which is never a good sign.

“Young love, so beautiful… so breathtaking and such a great story,” Rita tells them as her quill scribbles down notes furiously. She is taking down everything from expressions to what they are quietly trying to say to each other. No doubt they would make up their lies but she had a sharp ear and a fast quill so she would find the truth in all of this. “If something… tragic happens to our dear Viktor Krum would you like to comment? It could make the front page.”

Nessa rolls her eyes before she walks over past Rita slamming that camera on the ground before she glares at Rita. “No comment.” She says, agitated that she couldn’t even have this one private moment. She’s sure she would come to regret this later but for now, the outraged look on Rita Skeeter’s face was good enough for Nessa.

Leota makes her way into the teacher's seating area with Severus still on her arm. They go to have a seat in two of the last empty spots looking out at the arena. They’re greeted by some of the other teachers before they all go quiet, eager to see the tasks performed. As the introductions of the rules are made Igor makes his way to sit alongside the teachers having a seat next to Severus.

Leota sits up straight watching as the first student makes his way into the arena not long after they bring in the dragon. Her breath catches and she reaches out to take hold of Severus’ hand as Cedric makes his way in. It’s nerve-wracking, to say the least, but he’s a smart boy, the goblet wouldn’t have picked him otherwise. When there’s a close call Leota holds on tighter to Severus' hand feeling her eyes on her.

Igor looks away from the scene glancing at the two of them as they exchange a worried look. He had to do something to ensure that this little charade would come to an end. He wasn’t sure what he could do yet but he needed to keep his promise to Leota’s father. “I think you can see that Mister Diggory is just fine.” He says getting the two of them to look at him instead of each other.

After looking at Igor for a moment Leota looks back to the arena where Cedric is showing off the egg that he had taken from the dragon. “Of course he did a great job. He is our school’s champion after all.” She assures before she pats Severus’ knee. The school had two champions though and soon enough they would have to see if Harry survived this task.

Before Harry can perform his task though the others have to go. First is Fleur who is very eager and while not as fast as Cedric does a great job working swiftly to earn her egg. Igor’s attention leaves the happy pair as Viktor makes his way up. They have a carefully thought up plan that only needs to be executed by Viktor.

When he makes his way into the arena though he doesn’t do what Igor had told him to. The man sits up straighter mumbling angry things in Bulgarian to himself. He doesn’t want anyone to know that this was wrong but he had to yell something to his student. Igor sounds in Bulgarian for Viktor to do what he must do to win.

Nessa holds her breath watching as Viktor does exactly what she had suggested of him in the challenge. If she couldn’t be the champion then she would help the champion win this challenge. Her plan was perfect and Viktor did a great job being declared the fastest to go so far the winner by all measures.

As soon as it is said Nessa is up cheering and hollering with the rest of them proud of Viktors accomplishment. As she looks to the crowd around them she sees Headmaster Karkaroff’s eyes now on her. She isn’t sure if he knows that this change of plans is her doing or if it was about the camera either way she knew that she was in trouble.


	12. Chapter 12

“Could you do me a huge favor?” Mad-Eye asks as he makes his way up to his student teacher. He knew that he couldn’t just ask his student teacher to steal things for him she would start to grow suspicious of what he was doing. Besides, he did not want to do the task he had for the day which was what she was there for.

Leota looks up from the lesson plan she is writing and smiles, “You don’t have to call them favors you know. It is my job to help you run this classroom, it's only you giving me jobs to do.” She reminds him. She doesn’t mind it really she enjoys the work that she’s doing at the school, or at least most of it. Taking things from the potions room was a task she still couldn’t get behind no matter how Mad-Eye assured her that it was fine.

Mad-Eye nods, “Yeah right-” This was something he was not used to just having someone to tell him what to do. His entire life he’d been told what to do had someone else calling the shots. This was far from the same but it was still something he was beginning to enjoy during his time at Hogwarts. “I promised Flitwick I’d watch his detention for him. I don’t know why exactly but I think he said something about choir practice. I agreed before realizing that I had things to do so I need you to watch that for me. It won’t be that hard just make sure they don’t get into any trouble. It was just a few hours out of the day.”

“Yes of course I will, Professor Moody. I’ll head to his classroom now, it's no trouble at all.” Leota assures him before packing her things up and heading down the hall. Truthfully the less time she had to spend around Mad-Eye the better. As horrible as it sounded she hoped that the rumors were true and the school cycled through this position in a timely manner. He was decent with the lessons but the way he acted with students both in and out of the classroom was downright appalling.

She hadn’t witnessed it herself but she’d heard McGonagall talking to the other teachers about how he had punished a student with transfiguration. She wanted to learn not only how to teach the lessons but how to do the job the right way for her sake and that of her future students as well. It wasn’t something she felt comfortable bringing up with Professor Dumbledore, the man admired Mad-Eye Moody far too much to listen to the words of a teacher’s assistant. Perhaps she would bring it up with McGonagall some time though now she would do as she was told and watch the detention for Mad-Eye.

When she gets there the students are already sitting there and Professor Flitwick is starting to collect his things. “Hello there Professor Flitwick I’m here to watch the detention.” She tells him with a smile as she walks up to set her bag on the desk. 

Professor Flitwick seemed unsure for a moment but they needed to have this choir practice if they were going to be ready for the next show. “Very well I’ve got them all working on a charms paper, leave them on my desk and I’ll read them later. Anyone that finishes early can do other homework until it’s time to leave.” He looks out at the students with a stern look on his face. “If I hear any of you have given Miss Novak trouble you’ll be in detention for a month do you hear me?”

The students nod before watching as Flitwick leaves the room. They seem to be quiet at first watching as Leota gets into the teacher's seat. They aren’t sure if they can test with her while they’d seen her in the Defense classroom she was just there to assist. Deciding if they should see how relaxed she was going to be with them was difficult rather than test it they decided collectively to get started on those charms essays.

Leota is happily surprised when the students decide to be quiet, working on getting their assignments done. While they start to work, Leota realizes that she has some free time all she really had to do is keep an eye on them. She takes a book out of her bag. It's on potion ingredients she had been growing more and more curious about what she was taking from Severus’ storage closet. She looks through it for a while trying to take notes on what she’s seeing about various ingredients. Some of them were commonly used together while others were random. Now she just had to figure out what combinations did what.

“Doing a bit of light reading?” One of the twins asks as he walks up to the desk. He glances at the book, curious to see what sort of reading the teacher's assistant could be doing. The book is about potion ingredients or so he thinks. He doesn’t get much of a glimpse before he doesn’t get much of a glimpse at the book before Leota puts something over it to block the view.

Leota puts something over the book smiling at the students as she watches one twin and then the other stand in front of her. They are trouble and everyone in the school knows it including the teachers. They have to have a motive for all of this but Leota really doesn’t really want to pry on what it could be. “Have you two finished your essays as Professor Flitwick asked? If not then you should return to your seats and get to work.” She wasn’t going to bend to any of the students; she was going to set a good example and help them realize she could do this.

“I’m afraid not- I mean it's a bit tedious all of this don’t you think?” Fred asks before he flashes a charming smile. He hopes that this will be easy; they can just talk their way out of this. It could also land them in even further trouble but he was willing to take that risk if it meant getting out of the detention for the day.

It takes a lot of strength but Leota is able to hold back a laugh instead she clears her throat giving them her best stern look. “What about doing as your professor tells you would be tedious? All he wants is an essay from you and maybe a bit of homework done to finish the rest of your time. It’s a small price to pay as opposed to getting into any real trouble.” 

“Normally I would agree with you. I mean one essay shouldn’t be a problem even if this isn’t my favorite class. The thing about it is we are supposed to have Quidditch practice all afternoon and evening- a big match against Slytherin. I know that it probably doesn’t seem like the most important thing but it’s one of our last years. I mean should we really have to wait around here when we could be doing what we need to for our team?” Fred asks, keeping that level tone and that charming smile. Maybe she wouldn’t say yes but hopefully, she understood how important this was to the team as well as the school.

So this was what the boy was going to do? Try to get her sense of team appreciation and all of that it won’t work but Leota can appreciate them trying. “Well if you had wanted to ensure you were at practice then you wouldn’t have gotten into trouble in the first place. Now if you’d like to go sit back down and get started on your essays you may be able to make it to the last part of the practice at least.” She tells them before motioning back to the desks so the two of them know to give up and go sit back down.

George nods, “We’ll get right on that thank you, Miss Novak.” He says before nudging Fred telling him to give it up. Once Fred seems to agree George makes his way back over to their seats. One of the other students looks over at Fred who shakes his head in defeat. They’ll try something else he knows but they would have to give it at least a bit of a break as to not put Miss Novak on high alert.

Leota watches the students relax back into their seats and go about working. There’s some chatter between them but not enough to cause concern so Leota goes back to looking at the book. The more she does look into this the more she’s confused. Part of her wants to ask Severus but how does she even ask about this? She would have to admit to all the things she had taken so she was going to work on this on her own.

Still, she did have students eager to leave so she could use this to her advantage. She clears her throat getting them all to look at her. “I will let the first student who raises their hand and tells me what potion includes boomslang skin, lacewing flies, batwing, aconite, and knotgrass.” She tells them all, watching as two students both raise their hands. The Ravenclaw girl was the first though so Leota points to her, “Yes, can you answer for me?”

“Well, not all of the ingredients but the knotgrass, boomslang skin, and lacewing flies are used for polyjuice potion.” The girl offers, hoping that it will be enough for her to leave early.

Had the other ingredients been a diversion to keep her from realizing what he was doing or perhaps it was all some bigger picture she wasn’t seeing. Still, she wasn’t going to break her word so she nods, “That’s correct you can leave now have a nice afternoon Miss Thomson thank you for the answer you can head out now.”

“Is there any way that I could get you to switch places with me? Maybe… you need a date to the ball?” Fred asks with a smile even if they can’t both get out they should still have one. He figured if at least one of them could get to practice it would be something right?

The girl looks him up and down with a disinterested look, “I have a date but thanks.” She tells him before collecting her things and leaving. Truthfully she didn’t have a date but she was going to take the afternoon to go ask someone which would be far easier out there than stuck in detention. She looks over at Leota and smiles, “Thank you Miss Novak I hope you find out what the rest of your potion ingredients are for.” She tells the woman then getting her things collected and leaving the room.

George bites back a laugh with an amused look on his face watching the girl leave. He looks back at Leota wondering why she’d asked that. “Are there going to be any more opportunities to earn our way out of here?” He asks, thinking that she will give them a chance to leave early as well.

“I will think about it but for now get to working on your essays,” Leota tells them before looking back at her book. She needs them quiet so she can try to figure out why the hell Professor Moody would need a polyjuice potion. She knows what it’s for of course but who was he pretending to be? 

She wonders if she should say anything to anyone else but then again would they believe her? For now, she’d keep this to herself and try to investigate what this man could be doing. They’re all quiet for the rest of the detention and she dismisses them as they turn in their essays eager to get to the library so she can start looking into this more.

When the last essay is turned in she puts them away before heading to the library to have a look around. Putting away what books she has she starts to look at some other books on potions running her fingers over the spines of the books as she tries to figure out what the hell she’s going to do next. Seeing a promising book she is about to take it out when she hears someone clear their throat behind her.

She nearly jumps, turning around to see who it is, relieved to see that it’s Severus. “Oh… I’m sorry you scared me, Severus. What are you up to today?” She asks with a smile hoping that she doesn’t look strange. She didn’t need him to think she was hiding something because it only meant she would be asked questions she wasn’t ready to answer

Severus can see that she’s acting strange which he should ask her about but the look on her face tells him that it shouldn’t be a question he asked. “I’ve been trying to find you for most of the day. When I didn’t see you around I assumed you would be here… clearly I was correct.”

“Yeah I’ve been looking for something new to read,” Leota says quickly turning back and taking the first book she sees. “I thought that the hibernation patterns of Niffler may be interesting.” She says before smiling, happy that she hadn’t picked the most ridiculous book in the room. She thinks about it realizing that she interrupted him smiling at him. “My apologies, why did you need me, Severus?”

“Well that should be an interesting read I’m sure,” Severus tells her having a glance back behind her to see what other books were on the shelf. He looks back at her and smiles. “I was just going to ask you for some help in my classroom but I couldn’t find you today.” That was a lie of course he had wanted to see her so he could ask if she was going to dance with anyone at the Yule Ball. It was coming up and he wanted it to be him who spent the night at her side but something was up and now he had to figure out what it was so he’d keep the question to himself.

“I’m sorry I just watched detention for Professor Flitwick all afternoon. If you need any help now I’d be more than willing to do that.” Leota tells him with a smile. Some time with Severus may be nice it would also mean she was in the potions room and could try to look more into polyjuice potion and other potions that Professor Moody could be making.

Severus shakes his head, “It’s quite alright I got it figured out I just figured I should find you anyways and make sure you were alright. I hope you enjoy your book on Nifflers.” He tells her before turning to leave. Now he’d need to figure out what she was doing if he was ever going to trust her enough to spend time with her.


End file.
